Hundreds of Iranian women competed in a Tehran race without wearing the hijab, in one of the largest public displays of defiance since the 2022 “women, life, freedom” protests.
The runners’ participation challenged Iran’s law requiring women to cover their hair in public, with the event becoming a prominent demonstration of opposition in the capital.
On the same day, veiled women marched in Tehran in support of the government and the war effort, creating sharply contrasting scenes in the city.
The events have been described as a tale of two cities, with the Iranian women taking part in the race without hijab standing alongside a separate mobilisation backing the authorities.
