A post on X (formerly Twitter) showcasing the victories of Iranian female athletes sparked a wave of commentary from international users, accusing Western media of ignoring their achievements. The message: Iranian sportswomen are making history—but their success doesn’t fit the Western narrative.
A Story Un-Told
In a post shared on X, a page published a video of Iranian women’s sporting victories and asked:
“Iranian women athletes are making history—but this doesn’t align with the Western narrative, does it?”
Many non-Iranian users responded, pointing out that Western media tend only to portray Iranian women as “happy and free” if they are bare-headed or in revealing clothing.
They argued that even when Iranian women achieve remarkable successes in sport, it isn’t given the same media spotlight.
Milestones That Often Go Un-Mentioned
Here are several major recent achievements by Iranian women athletes that challenge the dominant narrative:
- World Para Powerlifting Rookie & Next Gen Championships 2025 (Cairo):
The 17-year-old Atieh Sadat Hosseini, became the first Iranian woman ever to win a gold medal at a world para-powerlifting competition, claiming the top spot in the women’s up to 61 kg category with a 90 kg lift. - 3rd Asian Youth Games 2025 (Bahrain):
The Iranian girls’ handball team routed India 43–26 in the final to claim the nation’s first handball gold at a multi-sport Asian event.
The same Games saw Iranian youth girls win team golds in futsal, handball, and volleyball. - CAVA Women’s Volleyball Championship 2025 (Tashkent):
The Iranian women’s national volleyball team beat host Uzbekistan 3–0 (25–14, 25–14, 25–19) to secure their first-ever gold medal in the team’s 60+ year history.
What International Users Are Saying
Some of the notable comments from foreign users include:
Then how can they sell the world that Iranian women are Opressed?
Being naked doesn’t mean you are free. You are just the material to quench the lust of men.
Go ladies go
The western narrative… We don’t care
Bcz western assuming women’s freedom in nudeness….that’s why
Never. Not until their wear a thong and play beach volleyball and the iranian society is a complete wreck through jewish subversion. An art they have destroyed many a people with!
Framing, Freedom and Visibility
What seems to emerge from the discussion is a tension between visibility and narrative control. While the triumphs of Iranian women athletes are indisputable, the way they are covered—or not covered—by Western media influences how they are perceived globally.
The voices on X suggest that freedom, empowerment and success are often measured through a Western lens (e.g., dress code, cultural symbols) rather than through sporting excellence, personal dedication and national pride.
Why It Matters
When the stories of women like Hosseini, the Iranian handball team or the volleyball squad are under-reported, it reinforces a narrower global story about Iranian women: one of oppression or exoticisation rather than agency and achievement.
Highlighting these successes invites a broader, more nuanced understanding—not only of Iranian women’s sports—but also of how media framing shapes our global view of women, culture and accomplishment.
From: Fars