Is Elnaz Rekabi Missing? Safety Concerns Mount After Iranian Climber Competes Without Hijab

Iranian rock climber Elnaz Rekabi was reported missing days after she competed in the International Federation of Sport Climbing's Asian Championships held in South Korea on Sunday.

In a revolutionary move, the 33-year-old athlete climbed the wall during the competition in Seoul without a hijab, in defiance of Iranian law on women's attire.

Sources close to Rekabi told BBC Persian that they were not able to contact her since Monday night. Furthermore, her mobile phone and passport were also reportedly missing.

This development comes amid the ongoing women-led protests against the Iranian government over its strict laws mandating women to wear a hijab in public, as per The Telegraph.

While Rekabi and other Iranian athletes were scheduled to return to Iran from Seoul on Wednesday, the 33-year-old reportedly flew back to Tehran after the competition.

While foreign media has reported Rekabi's missing, sources told IranWire she was taken to Evin prison in Tajrish directly from the Iranian international airport.

Reza Zarei, the head of Iran's Climbing Federation, misled the athlete into the Iranian embassy building in Seoul after receiving orders from Mohammad Khosravivafa, Iran's Olympic Committee chairman, the anonymous source told the outlet.

On receiving orders from Iran's Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC), Khosravivafa allegedly transferred Rekabi to the embassy after assuring her safe return to Iran, the citizen journalism website reported.

"She did not seek asylum either because her husband is in Iran, and she wanted to return after the competition. She always makes such bold decisions," the source told IranWire.

Meanwhile, BBC's Persian TV Presenter Rana Rahimpour tweeted Tuesday that Rekabi was on a flight to Iran two days earlier than planned, leading to growing concerns over Rekabi's safety.

Iranian laws obligate women to follow the mandatory rule of wearing hijab outside Iran when they are officially representing the country in foreign nations.

The rock climbing athlete was seen climbing the wall with her hair uncovered during the Sunday competition in Seoul. Her decision to do so was regarded as an act of solidarity for the women protesting the moral policing of women's attire in Iran.

The women-led movement first rocked the country in September after the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini in the custody of Iran's morality police. She was arrested for reportedly failing to wear the hijab in accordance with Islamic law.

The movement has grown exponentially in Iran as well as other parts of the world, with women marching on the streets and removing their headscarves to demonstrate their defiance of the Iran law.

Iranian leaders have responded with unprecedented actions against the demonstrators, with the country's security forces firing tear gas and arresting protesters. It is estimated that at least 185 people, including 19 children, have been killed in the nationwide protests, The Guardian reported, quoting the Norway-based Iran Human Rights group.