Women attend soccer match in Iran for the first time in decades

Iranian women cheer during the World Cup Qatar 2022 Group C qualification football match between Iran and Cambodia at the Azadi stadium in the capital Tehran on October 10, 2019. - The Islamic republic has barred female spectators from football and other stadiums for around 40 years, with clerics arguing they must be shielded from the masculine atmosphere and sight of semi-clad men. Women fans are attending the football match freely for the first time in decades, after FIFA threatened to suspend the country over its controversial male-only policy. (Photo by ATTA KENARE / AFP) (Photo by ATTA KENARE/AFP via Getty Images) ** OUTS - ELSENT, FPG, CM - OUTS * NM, PH, VA if sourced by CT, LA or MoD **

Iranian women cheer during the World Cup Qatar 2022 Group C qualification match between Iran and Cambodia at Azadi Stadium in Tehran. (Atta Kenare / AFP / Getty Images)

Oct. 10, 2019 8:12 AM PT

An Iranian woman flashes a victory sign during a soccer match between Iran and Cambodia in the 2022 World Cup qualifier at the Azadi Stadium in Tehran. (Vahid Salemi / Associated Press)

Iranian women cheer during thematch between Iran and Cambodia at Azadi Stadium in Tehran. (Atta Kenare / AFP / Getty Images)

Female soccer fans watch the match as as female police officers, left, monitor at Azadi Stadium in Tehran. (Vahid Salemi / Associated Press)

Iranian women cheer during the match. (Amin M. Jamali / Getty Images)

Iranian women hold an Iranian flag during a soccer match between their national team and Cambodia at Azadi Stadium in Tehran. (Vahid Salemi / Associated Press)

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Women attend soccer match in Iran for the first time in decades

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