If the president was not a conservative, the shroud-wearers would now be crying out ‘Oh Islam!’
Mostafa Danandeh, a journalist, addressed the presence of Iranian women in stadiums in a note on Asr Iran. In part of this note, he wrote:
Government officials say that they have allowed Iranian women to enter stadiums without FIFA’s pressure, which, to be honest, we do not believe. If it weren’t for FIFA’s pressures, especially at times when the Secretary of the Command for the Promotion of Virtue is seeking to segregate universities, the presence of women in football stadiums would still be a dream. In addition to FIFA’s pressure, we must not overlook the significant role President Raisi played in this decision. Imagine if Hassan Rouhani, Seyyed Mohammad Khatami, Mohammad Reza Aref, or any non-conservative was the president of Iran and FIFA made such a request, and the government was trying to create conditions for women to go to stadiums every week. Certainly, the shroud-wearers would have taken to the streets in Mashhad and some other cities, crying out ‘Oh Islam!’ However, it does make a difference who the president is. History has shown that with a change in the president and parliament, circumstances can change 180 degrees.