Iranian Woman Competes in an International Chess Match Without Wearing The Hijab

Iranian female chess player took part in an international tournament without wearing a headscarf, according to Reuters. Sara Khadem, a professional chess player from Iran, participated in the FIDE World Rapid and Blitz Chess Championship in Almaty, Kazakhstan, without wearing a headscarf.
Iranian women are required to wear the hijab due to the nation’s stringent clothing laws. Mahsa Amini, 22, was detained for “inappropriate dress” (not properly donning her headscarf). While she was being kept in jail, she passed away in police custody, igniting continuing demonstrations in Iran.

The International Chess Federation has Sara Khadem, also known as Sarasadat Khademalsharieh, listed as number 804 in the world. In October, Iranian climber Elnaz Rekabi participated without a headscarf in a competition in South Korea, but she afterwards acknowledged that she had made a mistake. During their first match of the FIFA World Cup in Qatar, the team did not sing the Iranian anthem.

Iran has accused hostile foreign powers—chiefly the United States—as well as other Western nations like Britain and France and exiled opposition groups of encouraging the “riots,” but the nation has launched a massive crackdown against the protests, which have lasted more than 100 days.