Iranian diplomats in Denmark and Australia have applied for asylum in their host countries, Iran International reported Thursday, citing sources familiar with the matter.
The two asylum seekers were identified as Alireza Sohbati of the Iranian Embassy in Copenhagen and Mohammad Pournajaf of the Iranian Embassy in Canberra. Pournajaf had previously served as the chargé d'affaires of the Islamic Republic’s embassy in Australia, according to the anti-regime publication.
Trump urges diplomats to seek asylum amid Operations Epic Fury and Roaring Lion
This comes one week after US President Donald Trump urged Iranian diplomats to seek asylum during an address at the East Room of the White House as part of a ceremony hosting Inter Miami CF on March 6.
The US "urges Iranian diplomats around the world to request asylum and to help us shape a new and better Iran," he said.
Israel and the US launched Operations Roaring Lion and Epic Fury in the early morning on February 28, with the stated aim of creating conditions for regime change. Iran retaliated by firing across the Middle East at Gulf nations and US military bases in the region.
A total of four Iranian diplomats have sought asylum since the beginning of 2026
Per the Iran International report, these two diplomats are the first two to seek asylum in their host nations since the outset of the current war, but they are not the first to do so in recent months.
The anti-regime publication reported in January that Alireza Jeyrani Hokmabad, a senior Iranian diplomat in Geneva, Switzerland, also applied for asylum shortly after leaving his post. In February, the outlet reported that Gholamreza Derikvand, Iran's chargé d’affaires in Vienna, Austria, also applied for asylum.
Alireza Jeyrani Hokmabad had, until shortly before applying for asylum, held the rank of counsellor and served as minister plenipotentiary, effectively the deputy head of Iran’s mission to the UN and other international organizations in Geneva, Iran International reported.
Gholamreza Derikvand previously served as chargé d'affaires at Iran's embassy in the Czech Republic from 2011 to 2014, according to the outlet. Because of Derikvand's career, colleagues of the diplomat told Iran International that they believed he could have been promoted to ambassador had he remained in his position.
Miriam Sela-Eitam, James Genn, and Lara Sukster Mosheyof contributed to this report.