Iranian women defy orders to watch FIFA World Cup match

Iranian men and women watching the game together in a coffee shop

Football fever has been at its highest level for the past 12 days and the whole world seems rooted in front of the TV and also Brazil which must have seen a monetary increase since the tourism department would be busy thanks to the ongoing 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil.

The game though hasn’t stopped the women from Iran to defy the orders and support their national football team who are currently in the far end of South America to fight for the trophy.

In a country where there are various restrictions on women, one of them that they cannot mix with their opposite sex or enter a stadium to witness a match, women are defying all the orders and were seen in a coffee shop to witness a game which Iranians love to the core.

The women were seen watching the game between Iran and Argentina which the Asians lost after putting up a fighting display of resistance, but that didn’t deter the women from cheering for their team.

"100 percent it's better this way," said Negar Valayi. "It doesn't happen often. It would be great if we have more of this."

"It's actually much better to watch it with a bunch of people around because it makes you feel more excited," said Roya Marzbahan.

The Iranian authorities had banned women from mixing with their opposite sex in public and from entering stadiums following the 1979 Islamic Revolution because interaction of males with females was considered un-Islamic.

The ban was lifted shortly during the tenure of Mohammed Khatami in 2005 but was reinstated when Mohammed Ahmadinejad came into power.

Such is the strict laws in Iran that Iranian women don't appear on football billboards and the broadcast is delayed by few seconds so as not to show any females on TV which in case of not happening may not go down well with the authorities.

The Iranian women have protested about the ban in the past.

"We have rights too. We should be able to go to games," said Negar Valayi.

"They're taking our rights," said Roya Marzbahan. "It's our right to watch our teams."

The ban has compelled female Vice President Shahindokht Molaverdi to investigate when there are proper indications that Iran’s president Hassan Rouhani is clearly against women’s right to watch matches.