Woman in Iran will be allowed to watch football matches in stadiums in the future, the head of the country's soccer association Mehdi Taj, said on June 30. Until now, women in Iran have only been allowed in the stands in a few exceptions, most recently at a friendly match against Russia. When and under what conditions women will be allowed to watch matches in stadiums was initially unclear. The country's archconservative clergy argued that women had no business in stadiums with fanatical male fans. Under pressure from soccer's world governing body, FIFA, the ban has been relaxed somewhat in recent years.
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