TEHRAN, Iran (AP) \u2014 Members of Iran\u2019s national women\u2019s soccer team were greeted with a welcome ceremony upon their return to the Islamic Republic after several of the players sought asylum in Australia.<\/p>\n
\u201cFirst of all we are so happy to be in Iran, because Iran is our homeland,\u201d midfielder Fatemeh Shaban said.<\/p>\n
People in the crowd waved flags while some of the players held bouquets of flowers and signed what appeared to be mini-soccer balls. Iranian media had reported that the team returned on Wednesday<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cI wasn\u2019t expecting this many people to come to welcome us, and I am happy to be the daughter of Iran,\u201d Shaban said in translated comments.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \n AP AUDIO: Iran women\u2019s soccer team greeted with a \u2018welcome ceremony\u2019 in Tehran\n <\/p>\n AP correspondent Haya Panjwani reports on reactions after Iran says all but two of the Iranian women\u2019s soccer team have returned to Iran.<\/p>\n Two Iranian female players, Fatemeh Pasandideh and Atefeh Ramezanisadeh, chose to remain in Australia and have been training with the Brisbane Roar club<\/a>.<\/p>\n Others who initially sought asylum after the team was knocked out of the Women\u2019s Asian Cup<\/a> later changed their minds and said they would return to Iran.<\/p>\n Iran\u2019s squad arrived in Australia for the tournament shortly before the Iran war<\/a> began on Feb. 28. The team initially gained global attention after some players stayed silent during Iran\u2019s national anthem before their first game in the Asian Cup. The silence<\/a> was cast as an act of resistance or protest by some commentators and a show of mourning by others.<\/p>\n The players didn\u2019t publicly disclose their views or explain their actions and sang the anthem before their next two matches.<\/p>\n Iranian first Vice President Mohammad Reza Aref last week dismissed suggestions the women would be unsafe if they returned home, saying the country \u201cwelcomes its children with open arms and the government guarantees their security.\u201d<\/p>\n ___<\/p>\n