Spain has granted citizenship to Sara Khadem, an Iranian chess grandmaster who moved to Spain earlier this year after an arrest warrant was issued against her for competing sans hijab.
The 26-year-old Khadem, also known as Sarasadat Khademalsharieh, chose not to adhere to Iran’s strict dress code by not wearing a hijab during the FIDE World Rapid and Blitz Chess Championships in Kazakhstan in late December.
This act of defiance occurred amidst increasing resistance against Iran’s compulsory hijab laws, which came to the forefront following the death of a 22-year-old Iranian-Kurdish woman, Mahsa Amini, while in the custody of Iran’s morality police. Khadem, who openly supported the anti-clerical leadership protest movement in Iran, affirmed in an interview with Reuters that she harboured no regrets about her stance.
Khadem’s Journey to a New Beginning in Spain
As per the official Spanish gazette, the Spanish government decided to award Khadem citizenship, citing her case’s “special circumstances”. Despite her recent relocation, Khadem clarified on Instagram that she did not seek asylum in Spain and moved as a family decision.
As a chess grandmaster, Khadem expressed optimism about achieving greater sporting accomplishments in her new home country. Due to her situation in Iran, her travel restrictions in the past three years hindered her from participating in significant tournaments and championships.
Khadem is the latest in a series of Iranian chess prodigies who have chosen to leave their homeland in recent years, following in the footsteps of Mitra Hejazipour, Ghazal Hakimifard, Atousa Pourkashiyan, and Dorsa Derakhshani. These players now represent various countries, including the U.S., Switzerland, and France. However, Khadem maintains that Iran remains her primary residence and intends to return when conditions allow.
