Iranian women were allowed into Tehran's Azadi Stadium for the first time in 37 years on Wednesday to watch Iran's FIFA 2018 World Cup clash against Spain on television.
Women are not allowed to enter stadiums in Iran, but permission was given for female fans to support their national team's efforts in Russia, per Open Stadiums:
Journalist Sobhan Hassanvand showed the scene at the Azadi Stadium:
Permission issued for families (men, women; while women are not allowed in stadiums in #Iran) to watch #IRNESP at Azadi stadium, 10K tickets sold, people go there, police stop them, people start resisting, social media help, interior ministry says event will be held, gates open pic.twitter.com/krikQWHg1E
The supporters still faced some difficulties entering the stadium as police initially blocked the event from taking place. However, Iran's Interior Minister Abdolreza Rahmani Fazli then intervened to ensure it went ahead, per the BBC's Hadi Nili:
ppl at the scene are saying that police allowed ticket-holders into the Azadi Stadium. just an hour before the game starts. many friends in Tehran who had tickets decided not to go; as w/ heavy traffics they had no chance to make it in time.twitter.com/hadinili/statu…
rare moment for Iranian women to be allowed into this big stadium, after the Interior Minister stepped in & ordered the police to get along. tho many alrdy left the evnt or decided to not go there as police was not allowing ppl over the last couple of hrs.
The Twitter account of Iran's national team shared an image of the scene at the stadium:
The move follows pressure from Iranian women who have used the World Cup to protest against their ban. Banners were unfurled during Iran's opening World Cup game against Morocco, per Open Stadiums:
Iran's first match almost done we saw lots of support from fans toward Iranian women who wants to break the stadiums ban.#زنان_ورزشگاه #NoBan4Women
In May 2018, five Iranian women disguised themselves as men to gain entry to a match between Persepolis and Sepidrood Rasht, as reported by the Daily Sabah (h/t Thomas Bristow of the Daily Mirror).
Iranian women have also travelled to the World Cup in Russia in numbers to see their team take on Spain at the Kazan Arena. Sports writer Ian Herbert said there were as many women in Kazan as men:
As many Iranian women as men here in Kazan for #IRNESP tonight. Women are banned from watching men’s games in Iran. Iran’s ‘concession’ tonight is to allow women into stadiums to watch big screen coverage #IRN @openStadiums
Iran went into the World Cup with few expectations but pulled off a shock in their opening game as they beat Morocco 1-0.
They also gave a good account of themselves against Spain who are one of the favourites to win the tournament. Spain went ahead through Diego Costa, but Iran thought they'd equalised through Saeid Ezatolahi only to see the goal ruled out for offside by VAR.
It's a historic moment for Iran although it remains to be seen if there will be a permanent change and women will be allowed to enter stadiums to watch live sporting events going forward.
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