Tehran, YJC. Official says foreign-national women are permitted to watch men play in Iran during an international sport event.
President of Iran Soccer Federation (IFF) Ali Kaffashian said
on Saturday "Foreign women are permitted to watch soccer matches.”
"Iran is committed to providing high-quality facilities at
the right time while hosting the 2019 Asian Cup," he said.
Iran is trying to win over the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to
host the 2019 Asian Cup.
However, FIFA President Sepp Blatter has maintained that the
ban on women watching soccer games in stadiums is likely to damage chances for
Iran being chosen as tournament host.
Blatter said in comments published in FIFA's weekly magazine
ahead of International Women's Day that despite his efforts to convince Iranian
President Hassan Rouhani to let women attend matches when he met him in 2013,
"nothing has happened."
"Open the nation's soccer stadiums to women,"
wrote Blatter, who is currently campaigning for re-election.