BBC: As protests continue across Iran, an Iranian historian, Majid Tafreshi, has appeared on state TV saying that Iran’s Islamic Republic will not survive unless it makes concessions to the national protest movement.
This comes as the state is believed to have flown back early an Iranian female athlete who competed in an international climbing championship in South Korea without covering her hair.
Elnaz Rekabi’s family and friends have expressed fear for her safety after they lost contact with her.
On Tuesday, the Iranian embassy said she had flown back to Tehran after the competition ended. “Ms Elnaz Rekabi left Seoul for Iran on Tuesday morning, after the Asian Championships rock climbing competition ended,” a statement said. “
The embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran in South Korea strongly denies all fake news, lies and false information about Ms Elnaz Rekabi.”
BBC Persian’s Rana Rahimpour says there is concern that Ms Rekabi will be taken directly to prison on her return to Iran. Women in the country are required to cover their hair with a hijab and their arms and legs with loose clothing. Female athletes must also abide by the dress code when they are officially representing Iran in competitions abroad.
One of Iran’s foremost feminist figures, Sussan Tahmasebi, who runs the rights group Femena, joined Newsday. She says: “What she did was very unusual, people were amazed at what she did, and how daring she was to take her hijab off.”