Iranian women's football squad enters Iran from Turkey after asylum withdrawal: AFP

The Iranian women's national football squad crossed into Iran from Turkey on Wednesday, including various players who abandoned their asylum application in Australia.

Seven individuals from the group had requested protection in Australia the previous week, following criticism in Iran for not singing the national anthem prior to their first match at the Women's Asian Cup, where they were labelled as traitors.

However, five of them reversed their decision, among them team captain Zahra Ghanbari.

The group reached Istanbul on Tuesday night from Oman, then proceeded by air to the eastern Turkish city of Igdir prior to making the journey back by road.

Dressed in the Iranian national team tracksuits, the female athletes were observed departing the airport towards the Gurbulak-Bazargan border point, located roughly 100 kilometres (60 miles) to the southeast.

The athletes had arrived in Turkey through Oman and Kuala Lumpur, after departing Australia where they participated in the Asian Cup.

"I miss my family," one athlete remarked to AFP on Monday while at Kuala Lumpur airport.

In an X post, Iranian parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf described the athletes and their support staff as "children of the homeland, and the people of Iran welcome them warmly".

He noted that their return had "frustrated Iran's enemies and resisted the tricks and threats from those opposed to Iran".

Ultimately, just two athletes stayed in Australia.

Human rights organisations have claimed that Tehran pressures international athletes by warning their families of property confiscation should they defect or criticise the Islamic republic.

Iranian officials, in response, alleged that Australia coerced the athletes to remain.