The bittersweet face-off was emblematic of the challenges that Iranian women chess players face. Mitra remarked on the mixed feelings of the moment, both proud of their accomplishments abroad and yet deeply saddened by the fact they couldn’t represent their homeland, Iran.

The diaspora of Iranian female grandmasters points to a broader issue at play. A staggering number of Iran’s female chess talents have chosen to relocate, many due to the nation’s mandate on wearing the headscarf, which they found oppressive. Sara Khadem and Dorsa Derakhshani are but a few who’ve made headlines for defying this mandate.

Hejazipour’s own journey reflects this struggle. Despite her unwavering love for chess, her decision to discard her headscarf during a Moscow tournament led to personal and professional repercussions. Unable to play professionally in France, where she had sought refuge, she pivoted to academics, immersing herself in computer science and engineering, all the while longing for the chessboard.

Her narrative is one of tenacity and resurgence. After an expedited citizenship process, she finally became a French citizen, and soon after, she clinched the title of the French women’s national chess champion.

Hejazipour’s decision to shed her headscarf was not taken lightly. It was inspired by acts of resistance, such as that of Vida Movahed, who publicly defied the headscarf mandate in Tehran. Mitra’s own gesture of posting a picture without the hijab on Instagram was a testament to her discontent with the enforced mandate, and even though she removed the post due to repercussions, the message was clear.