Elnaz Rekabi: Iranian climber flies home to crowds of supporters

A ample assemblage astatine Tehran airdrome greeted an Iranian athletics climber considered a "heroine" by galore for having competed with her hairsbreadth uncovered.

Elnaz Rekabi, 33, defied Iran's strict formal codification - but said her hijab had fallen disconnected "inadvertently".

However galore are sceptical astir the mentation fixed connected her Instagram, believing it was written nether duress.

Iran is presently gripped by protests against compulsory hijab laws and the nation's clerical establishment.

Iranian women are required to screen their hairsbreadth with a hijab and their arms and legs with escaped clothing. Female athletes indispensable besides abide by the formal codification erstwhile they are officially representing Iran successful competitions abroad.

Ms Rekabi flew successful from South Korea earlier dawn connected Wednesday, wherever she had been competing astatine the Asian Championships.

Her household met her astatine the airport, wherever she was hugged and handed respective bunches of flowers.

Videos connected societal media amusement hundreds of supporters clapping and chanting "Elnaz is simply a heroine" arsenic she arrived.

Ms Rekabi has been hailed arsenic a caller awesome of the protests led by women successful Iran.

Following the merchandise of a video showing her competing without a hairsbreadth covering, Ms Rekabi's friends said they could not interaction her, and they raised concerns implicit her safety.

On Tuesday a station connected her Instagram relationship appeared, successful which she apologised for "getting everybody worried".

"Due to atrocious timing, and the unanticipated telephone for maine to ascent the wall, my caput covering inadvertently came off," she explained.

She repeated this successful a little interrogation with authorities media connected accomplishment successful Tehran, adding that she was feeling "tense" astir returning home.

Where she was taken aft the airdrome is unknown.

BBC Middle East Editor Sebastian Usher says her reappearance successful nationalist whitethorn allay fears that she mightiness beryllium arrested, but galore volition privation further reassurance.

In the past, pistillate Iranian athletes who competed overseas without wearing a hijab person said they were forced by the authorities to contented akin apologies. Some decided not to spell backmost to Iran.

Ms Rekabi's Instagram station said she was returning to Iran "alongside the squad based connected the pre-arranged schedule".

BBC Persian's Rana Rahimpour says that to galore radical the connection utilized successful this station looks similar it has been written nether duress.

The nationwide protests successful Iran were sparked by the decease successful custody of Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old pistillate arrested by morality constabulary successful Tehran connected 13 September for allegedly wearing her headscarf excessively loosely.

The constabulary denied reports that she was beaten connected the caput with a baton and said she suffered a bosom attack.

The Iranian embassy successful South Korea powerfully denied what it called "all fake news, lies and mendacious information" astir her, and said Ms Rekabi had near Seoul for Iran connected Tuesday morning.

A root told BBC Persian connected Monday that Ms Rekabi's passport and mobile telephone were confiscated, and that she near her edifice successful Seoul 2 days earlier her scheduled departure date. Her household and friends mislaid interaction with her aft she said she was with an Iranian official.

The International Federation of Sport Climbing (IFSC) said it had been successful interaction with her and the Iranian Climbing Federation, and that it was "trying to found the facts".

"It is important to accent that athletes' information is paramount for america and we enactment immoderate efforts to support a valued subordinate of our assemblage harmless successful this situation," it added. "The IFSC afloat enactment the rights of athletes, their choices, and look of escaped speech."