Is it safe to host World Cup fans in Iran?

Iran is hoping to host visitors flocking to nearby Qatar for the 2022 World Cup finals, with officials boosting flights and readying hotels for an expected influx of football fans.

Campaign group United for Navid has called for FIFA to suspend Iran and prevent the nation's participation in this year's men's World Cup after women were prevented from entering the stadium for a qualifier versus Lebanon.

It has also been alleged that authorities used excessive force in preventing women from entering the Imam Reza Stadium in Mashhad.

Video on social media appeared to show tear gas being used to disperse the crowd of women. Iranian news agencies reported that roughly 2,000 women had bought tickets to watch the qualifier versus Lebanon on March 29.

United for Navid noted that the Football Federation Islamic Republic of Iran (FFIRI) had not lived up to a pledge to FIFA to "end its policy of gender apartheid, abide by international sports laws and allow women to enter football stadiums".

Instead, women who want to watch football are "beaten, abused and threatened", the campaign group says.

"Iran continues to ignore FIFA’s repeated requests for Iran to show basic adherence to human rights."

Human Rights Watch (HRW) has also called upon FIFA to demand Iran lift a stadium ban on women and ensure anyone enforcing it is held accountable.

"Iranian authorities have repeatedly demonstrated they are willing to go to great lengths to enforce their discriminatory and cruel ban on women attending football stadiums," Tara Sepehri Far, senior Iran researcher at HRW, said.

"Given Iranian authorities’ longstanding violations, FIFA needs to follow its own global guidelines on non-discrimination and should consider enforcing penalties for Iran’s noncompliance."

HRW's senior Iran researcher added: "FIFA’s President Gianni Infantino has personally promised that Iranian women would be able to go to stadiums.

United for Navid also recalled the case of the "Blue Girl", Sahar Khodayari.

Khodayari was a female Iranian football fan who attempted to enter the Azadi Stadium in Tehran disguised as a man in March 2019 but was caught.

A court concluded she could face a six-month prison sentence. After the court proceedings, Khodayari committed suicide by self-immolation.

Women were banned from stadiums in Iran after the 1979 Islamic revolution, with the country’s clerical establishment being opposed to women attending stadiums with men.

In September 2019, FIFA ordered Iran to allow women into stadiums without restriction following the death of Khodayari.

The international governing body threatened to ban Iran from international competitions if it did not comply.