MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Two members of the Iranian women’s soccer team who claimed asylum in Australia in March have been granted citizenship.Fatemeh Pasandideh and Atefeh Ramezanisadeh said in a statement Thursday that Immigration Minister Tony Burke swore them in the day before at a citizenship ceremony in their Australian home city of Brisbane.Friends and supporters from the local Iranian community attended the ceremony.“Yesterday was a truly special and unforgettable day for me. I feel proud and deeply grateful to become an Australian citizen. Australia has given me the opportunity to build my life and my future, and I feel, more than ever, that I belong here,” Ramezanisadeh said in the statement.Ramezanisadeh said her Iranian roots and memories would always be part of her.Pasandideh said Wednesday had been “one of the happiest days of my life.”
“I’m incredibly proud and grateful to officially become an Australian citizen. After everything we’ve been through and all the challenges we faced, this moment means more than words can express,” Pasandideh said.When The Associated Press asked Burke’s office for an explanation for why the women’s citizenship was fast-tracked, his department said it could not comment on individual cases for privacy reasons.The Refugee Council of Australia, a nonprofit umbrella organization representing asylum-seekers, said refugees usually must live in Australia on a valid visa for four years before they can apply for citizenship.
