Overview
- Prosecutors on Kish opened a criminal case for “indecency” after images showed some women running without hijab, with two organizers detained, suspended from their posts and placed under judicial control.
- The Dec. 5 race on the Persian Gulf island drew roughly 5,000 participants, including women-only heats in which some runners appeared unveiled in social media footage.
- Judicial and state-linked outlets, including Mizan and Tasnim, called for firm and dissuasive measures, and judiciary chief Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejeï urged tougher enforcement.
- President Massoud Pezeshkian has said women cannot be compelled to wear the veil, highlighting political divisions over how to enforce the dress code.
- Local and diaspora reports say the Iranian Athletics Federation had opposed holding the event on legal and religious grounds, as recent uneven enforcement at public venues has fueled uncertainty.