President Donald Trump said Monday that Australia’s prime minister is helping Iran’s national women’s soccer team after Trump urged the U.S. ally to grant the players asylum instead of sending them back to Iran.

The Iranian team arrived in Australia for the women’s Asian Cup last month, before the Iran war began. The team was eliminated from the tournament at the weekend and faced the prospect of returning to a bombed-out country. Iran head coach Marziyeh Jafari said on Sunday that the players “want to return to Iran as soon as we can,” according to Australia’s national news agency AAP.

Earlier on Monday, Trump had criticized Australia on social media, saying Australia was “making a terrible humanitarian mistake by allowing… the team to be forced to return to Iran, where they will most likely be killed.”

Trump called on Australia to grant the team asylum, adding: “The United States will accept them if you don’t.”

Less than two hours later, in another social media post, Trump praised Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, saying, “He’s on it! Five have been taken care of and the rest are on the way.”

It was unclear what measures the Australian government was taking to help the team.

Trump also said that some players “feel they have to return because they are concerned about the safety of their families, including threats to those family members if they do not return.”

Trump’s asylum offer represents something of a shift for the president, whose administration has sought to limit the number of immigrants who can receive asylum on political grounds.

During the tournament, players mostly refused to comment on the situation at home, although Iranian forward Sara Didar fought back tears at a news conference Wednesday as she shared her concerns for their families, friends and all Iranians during the conflict.

The team’s silence during the anthem before its opening loss to South Korea last week was seen by some as an act of resistance and others as a show of mourning. The team has not clarified it. They then sang and saluted during the anthem before the remaining two games.

The players’ decision to remain silent during Iran’s anthem before their first match against South Korea was called the “pinnacle of dishonour” by an Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting commentator.

“In times of war, traitors must be treated more severely,” said presenter Mohammad Reza Shahbazi.