Iranian women allowed to watch football match in stadium

TEHRAN: A limited number of Iranian women have been allowed into a stadium in Tehran to watch a league football match for the first time after pressure from international bodies.

Videos and images from the Azadi stadium in the Iranian capital on Thursday showed hundreds of women — adorned in their teams’ colours and carrying flags — entering the stadium through a separate gate from the men.

The female supervisors – who were wearing head-to-toe gowns – were stationed at the entrance to guide the fans in, and were heard asking them to put on headscarves as they entered the stadium. The female supporters were seated separately from the men. “We’re happy that you’re present in the Azadi stadium,” Esteghlal FC’s official account said in a short tweet.