Iranian climber returned to his homeland: ‘I forgot to put the veil’ | Sports Other

The question is whether Rekabi really forgot to put on the veil or was forced by the authorities to tell this story. It is an open secret that the Iranian government often pressures protesters to find a (false) excuse for their action in the state media.

After Rekabi’s much-discussed meeting in Seoul, there were immediate concerns for his well-being. Friends of the climber said in a conversation with the BBC who could not contact Rekabi. He was also supposed to hand over his phone and passport.

“None of this happened,” Rekabi said at the airport. “We returned to Iran according to plan. Everything went according to plan. Even though I experienced a lot of tension and stress, I have now returned to Tehran with complete peace of mind.”