Sara Khadem, an Iranian chess player who made headlines for competing in an international tournament without wearing a hijab, has been granted Spanish nationality, as announced by

Spain's Minister of Justice. Khadem, also known as Sarasadat Khademalsharieh, participated in the FIDE World Rapid and Blitz Chess Championships in Almaty, Kazakhstan, in December 2022.

Her decision to compete without the mandatory hijab in Iran led to an arrest warrant being issued against her in her home country. Following the tournament, Khadem has been living in Spain.

Khadem's action was part of a larger movement of sportswomen defying conservative dress codes and expressing dissent against the Iranian regime. The protests were sparked by the tragic death of Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old Kurdish-Iranian woman who died after being detained by the country's morality police for not following the conservative dress code.

In light of the exceptional circumstances surrounding Khadem's situation, the Council of Ministers in Spain granted her Spanish nationality through a naturalization letter. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez met with Khadem in January and expressed his admiration and inspiration by her actions, tweeting his support for women athletes and acknowledging their significant contributions to a better world. Photo by GFHund, Wikimedia commons.