An Iranian photographer has caught the world's attention after she defied restrictions that prevent women from covering men's sporting events. Parisa Pourtaherian, 26, was unable to enter the Vatani Stadium in northern Iran to cover a top-flight football match last month. But she was undeterred and covered the game from a nearby rooftop using a long camera lens.
Images of her on the roof have been widely shared on social media. Although there's no official ban on women going to sporting events in Iran, it is rare for them to attend as they are often refused entry. Many people have praised Ms Pourtaherian's determination to cover this match despite the restrictions.
Parisa Pourtaherian: I arrived at the match three hours early and all my focus was on a finding a way to take photographs. I looked for a nearby building that I could use, but I couldn't find one anywhere. I knocked on doors one after another, but I was determined not to get upset when I wasn't successful. If I had got upsetat my first attempt I would never have had this opportunity. Finally, by half-time, I convinced the owners of a house near the stadium to let me go on to their roof. I wasn't scared. The police in the stadium saw me that night but they did nothing and left me alone as I did my job. I felt very excited to be taking photographs of such a high-level football match in Iran, especially in that particular situation.
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