Irans Judiciary has rejected foreign media reports that an Iranian woman has been detained in the country for attending a mens volleyball game at a stadium.
Western media had earlier reported that 25-year-old Ghoncheh Ghavami, who holds dual Iranian and British nationality, was arrested while attempting to enter a stadium in the Iranian capital of Tehran to watch a mens volleyball match.
Speaking during a weekly press conference on Monday, Iranian Judiciary Spokesman Gholam-Hossein Mohseni-Ejei dismissed that Ghavami has been detained for trying to watch the game.
Although this individual has been arrested at a spot where sports were being played, her case is not related to the issue of sports, the Iranian Judiciary spokesman told reporters.
She is currently in custody and the case is proceeding, Mohseni-Ejei added.
The comments by the senior Iranian Judiciary official come as certain media reports have attempted to portray the detention of Ghavami as being related to her attempt towatch a mens game at the stadium. Women in Iran are not allowed to watch mens sports games at stadiums.
The UK Foreign Office has said it plans to follow up on the case with Iranian officials at the UN General Assembly in New York on Wednesday.