13 ski resorts operate in Iran, the most famous being Tochal, Dizin, and Shemshak, all within one to three hours traveling time from the capital Tehran. Iran’s Tochal resort is the world’s fifth-highest ski resort at over 3,730 m at its highest 7th station. The resort was completed in 1976 shortly before the Islamic Revolution which overthrow of the Shah and established Iran as a theocratic state.
However, Iranian female ski bums who are planning to ski down the icy slope this year, would be in for a surprise. A police circular, reported Thursday on the pro-government Etedaal news agency, states that women and girls are no longer allowed to ski in the absence of a husband, father or brother. In short, women are only allowed to hit the slopes only if they are accompanied by a male guardian.
Since Sharia law was instituted in 1979, Iran has a brutal history of suppressing women’s rights. During a UN Human Rights Commission meeting last month, expert Cornelis Flinterman was upset by Iran’s lack of progress on improving women’s rights, “I don’t see any concrete measures taken in Iran to improve women’s rights. It seems that there continue to be discriminatory laws against women.”
Iranian woman skier sees herself as role model for the next generation