The Running Battle: Marathon Runners Challenge Mandatory Dress Code on Kish Island

In their defense against the charges of moral laxity, some supporters and journalists pointed out the logistical efforts made by the organizers to comply with basic segregation requirements, emphasizing that the women’s race was held at a separate time—5:30 in the morning—from the men's race, which began later in the morning at 8:30 am. This detail was used to argue that the event adhered to essential segregation protocols, suggesting that the judicial crackdown was less about genuine moral disorder and more about utilizing the hijab issue as a tool for "bargaining and settling political scores" by hardliners seeking to reassert dominance and exploit a sensitive cultural point for political gain.