TEHRAN – Iranian authorities have arrested two organisers of a marathon on Kish island after images emerged of women competing without hijab.

The Islamic republic’s judicial authorities have faced mounting criticism from ultraconservatives for failing to properly enforce a mandatory headscarf law for women, as fears grow of a surge of Western influence.

Women in Iran have, in recent years, been increasingly ignoring the hijab law, especially since 2022 nationwide protests, while the supreme leader’s office faced backlash last week for publishing a photo of an unveiled woman killed in the June war with Israel.

Images online of the Dec 5 marathon showed a number of runners who were not following the Islamic republic’s strict dress code for women, which was enshrined in law in the early 1980s.

“Two of the main organisers of the competition were arrested on warrants,” the judiciary’s Mizan Online website reported on Dec 6, the day after the marathon took place.

“One of those arrested is an official in the Kish free zone, and the other works for the private company that organised the race,” it added.

Around 5,000 people took part in the race, according to local media.

The judiciary earlier reported a criminal case was opened against the organisers of the race.

“Despite previous warnings regarding the need to comply with the country’s current laws and regulations, as well as religious, customary and professional principles… the event was held in a way that violated public decency,” the local prosecutor was quoted as saying in Mizan Online.

“Considering the violations that occurred and based on the laws and regulations, a criminal case has been filed against the officials and agents organising this event.”

Conservative-aligned outlets, including Tasnim and Fars, earlier condemned the marathon as indecent and disrespectful to Islamic laws enforced after th...