Videos showing women running without headscarves during a 10-kilometre road race in Tehran have spread widely online, attracting attention because Iran continues to require women to cover their hair in public under its compulsory hijab rules.
The scenes were recorded during the Tehran 10K at Velayat Park on Friday, September 18. Organisers held separate races for men and women, with participants in the women’s event completing two laps of the 10-kilometre course.
Women Seen Running Without Headscarves
Footage from the event showed several women taking part with their hair uncovered. The videos attracted significant attention on social media, particularly because compulsory hijab rules remain in force in Iran.
The race was held on the same day as the Janfadayan-e Iran rally, a large state-backed gathering elsewhere in Tehran that included Revolutionary Guards, Basij members and volunteers. The two events were separate and were not connected.
Some state-affiliated accounts on X also shared footage from the race, adding to the visibility of the images.
Iran’s Hijab Rules Remain in Force
The appearance of women without headscarves at a public sporting event comes amid broader changes in how some Iranian women dress in public.
Since the 2022 “Woman, Life, Freedom” protests that followed the death of Mahsa “Jina” Amini while in morality police custody, more women have been seen appearing without headscarves in streets and other public places. However, compulsory hijab remains part of Iranian law, and enforcement continues in different forms. Government offices and many official establishments generally still require women to wear headscarves when entering.
The Tehran race also recalled an earlier women’s road race on Kish Island, where participants were similarly seen competing without headscarves. Authorities subsequently took action against organisers of that event.
Parisa Arab Wins the Women’s Race
Iranian distance runner Parisa Arab won the women’s race in Tehran. Arab is the country’s national record holder in the women’s 5,000 metres, 10,000 metres and half marathon.
After the event, she shared a video showing moments from the race and her finish-line crossing. Arab said the encouragement from spectators gave her additional energy during the most difficult stages of the competition.
The widespread circulation of footage from the Tehran 10K has once again brought attention to the continuing debate surrounding Iran’s compulsory hijab rules and the increasingly visible presence of women without headscarves in some public spaces.