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

To fully understand the weight of this incident, it is essential to remember that the legal requirement for women to cover their hair and wear modest, loose-fitting clothing in public has been a cornerstone of the Islamic Republic’s legal framework since the early 1980s. This mandatory hijab law is not merely a custom but a formal, legally enforceable decree, backed by the authority of the state and traditionally enforced by the so-called morality police. Violations have historically been met with severe penalties, including fines, short detentions, and in some cases, lengthy prison terms or travel bans, creating a decades-long tension between state control and personal liberty for Iranian women.