Tehran: Women ran without wearing headscarves at a 10-kilometre race in Tehran on Friday, September 18, as hundreds of thousands gathered for a major state-organised rally elsewhere in the capital.
Videos of women running with their hair uncovered at the Tehran 10K at Velayat Park circulated widely on social media, despite Iran’s continued compulsory hijab rules, Iran International reported.
The organisers held separate races for men and women, with the women’s event covering two laps of the 10-kilometre course.
Why the race drew attention
Iran’s mandatory hijab became a major focus of public dissent following the 2022 death of Mahsa “Jina” Amini, who had been detained by morality police over her headscarf. Since then, many Iranian women have appeared in public without headscarves, while authorities have continued to enforce the dress rules in various forms.
Friday’s race also recalled a women’s road race on Kish Island where participants were seen competing without headscarves.
Janfada-ye Iran rally
The run took place on the same day as the Janfada-ye Iran rally elsewhere in Tehran. The government-organised event was the biggest such rally in the capital since the US-Israel war began in February, with more than 300,000 people taking part, according to Associated Press.
Tasnim News Agency reported that a 313,000-strong parade stretched from Imam Hussein Square to Enghelab Square, with simultaneous gatherings held across Iran. It said around 500,000 people had registered to participate in Tehran.
The rally featured a display of Iranian drones, veterans of the Sacred Defense wars and participants wearing burial shrouds to symbolise their readiness to sacrifice themselves in defence of the country.
Women affiliated with the Revolutionary Guard were seen carrying rifles during the military-style parade. They marched beneath a banner depicting US President Donald Trump in crosshairs and reading “We will kill.”
President Masoud Pezeshkian attended the exercise and praised the turnout, saying the participation of people from different sections of society demonstrated their bond with Iran and their determination to protect its dignity, independence, territorial integrity and national strength.
Pezeshkian thanked participants for what he described as their “responsible and informed” participation. He said Iran belonged to all Iranians and that preserving the country’s dignity and pride required unity, solidarity and broad public participation.
The Janfada-ye Iran campaign began on March 29 following the US-Israeli attacks on Iran and has since expanded into a nationwide mobilisation, according to Tasnim. Organisers have claimed that more than 32 million people have participated across the country, although the figure has not been independently verified.
Iranian authorities have presented the campaign as a symbol of faith, steadfastness and readiness to sacrifice in defence of the country.
