Overview
- Judicial authorities opened a criminal case following images of female participants running unveiled during women-only races on the tourist island of Kish.
- The Kish prosecutor called the event contrary to public decency, and state media reported arrests of a free zone employee and a staffer from the private organizer.
- Local outlets said the December 5 races drew more than 5,000 participants, with footage on social media showing some women without headscarves.
- Conservative media and clerical figures condemned what they described as a lack of oversight and the spread of nudity, urging firm penalties.
- President Massoud Pezeshkian has argued against coercion on hijab, while many lawmakers and judiciary chief Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejeï demand stricter enforcement as the investigation continues.