Iranian Climber Elnaz Rekabi—Who Competed Without Headscarf—Explains Decision Amid Concerns For Her Safety
ForbesDec 23, 2022
The Facts
Iranian female rock climber Elnaz Rekavi arrived in Tehran early on Wednesday morning. Crowds gathered both inside and outside of the airport, calling her a heroine for not wearing the hijab at an international competition in Seoul on Sunday.
This comes amidst speculation that she has been forced by security forces to say that the hijab had fallen off "inadvertently," an explanation she gave first on Instagram and repeated in a state TV interview at the airport. She denied being under duress during the explanation.
The Spin
Anti-Iran narrative
Elnaz Rekabi was bold and made history as she represented Iran without wearing a headscarf — this was in clear support of nationwide anti-government protests. Her latest statement was made under duress and fabricated by Iranian authorities. No one is going to be fooled that her courageous act was accidental.
Pro-Iran narrative
The West is again spreading lies in an attempt to encourage social unrest in Iran. There is no evidence or reason to disbelieve Rekabi's explanation; the incident is simply being spun by Western media to advance their own agenda.
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