Thousands of women ran a marathon on Kish Island,in Iran – without a hijab – in what many saw as a sign of the social and cultural shift in the country.

Footage showed the runners dressed in red T-shirts and letting their hair free at the start of the competition on Friday before they later posed with their medals.

It has since emerged that Iranian authorities arrested two organisers for allowing unveiled women to compete in the race,which was attended by more than 25,000 tourists.

The dress code violations by participants were compared to ‘nudity’. The Tasnim news agency said the event did not fit ‘official frameworks’ and accused Kish Free Zone and sports officials of ignoring prior warnings.

‘Two of the main organisers of the competition were arrested on warrants,’ the judiciary’s Mizan Online website reported on Saturday,the day after the marathon took place.

It added: ‘One of those arrested is an official in the Kish Free Zone,and the other works for the private company that organised the race.’

The local prosecutor was quoted as saying: ‘Despite previous warnings regarding the need to comply with the country’s current laws and regulations,as well as religious,customary,and professional principles … the event was held in a way that violated public decency.

‘Considering the violations that occurred and based on the laws and regulations,a criminal case has been filed against the officials and agents organising this event.’

Many supporters of change in Iran enthusiastically hailed the images as further evidence of Iranian women rejecting the restrictions placed by the authorities on what they can wear.

But the announcement also followed a cascade of attacks from hardline activists and media – including Tasnim.

The race,it asserted,promoted ‘open,public unveiling (and) debauchery,’ for which those responsible ‘must be punished immediately.’

A hardline activist writing under the name Aminizadeh blasted officials as ‘careless and dishonourable,’ describing the race as a ‘disco marathon,’ Iran International reported.

‘Is this the Islamic Republic or the Las Vegas Republic,’ he warned. ‘Who sponsored this stupid act?’

The fate of those detained in relation to the compulsory veiling remains unclear.

Amnesty International called for their release and added: ‘Women running a marathon without veils should never lead to arrests.

‘Yet Iranian authorities have detained organisers and continue punishing women and girls resisting compulsory veiling.’

What is the current hijab law in Iran?

The hijab law in Iran remains mandatory under existing legislation,but widespread public defiance has led to varied enforcement tactics and an ongoing political debateThe idea of hijab law was first introduced during the 1979 Islamic revolution.On March 8,1979,thousands of Iranian women marched in the street,protesting the idea of imposing hijab with slogans such as ‘freedom of choice in clothes’.But four years later,wearing it became obligatory for all Iranian women,even non-Muslims and foreigners visiting the country.