Iranian climber Elnaz Rekabi has returned to Iran after competing at an event abroad without a hijab.

Arriving in Tehran this morning, Rekabi was given a hero’s welcome by supporters who prasied and encouraged her action.

With protests all over Iran still taking place after the death of Mahsa Amini one month ago, Elnaz Rekabi flew back to a Tehran airport after taking place in the competition in South Korea.

Deemed as a hero for her actions, Rekabi has claimed the incident was an accident, saying in an Instagram post and in comments at the airport that her hijab had accidentally slipped off. However, activists fear her comments may have been made under pressure from the Iranian authorities who were likely to have been infuriated by the athlete's actions.

Dozens of fans gathered outside the Imam Khomeini International Airport terminal where the athlete was arriving, chanting: “Elnaz is a hero," clapping their hands and recording her arrival on mobile phones.

Dressed in a black hoodie and baseball cap, Rekabi was greeted by family members inside the airport terminal, before she addressed state media with a mask pulled down on her face.

“Due to the atmosphere prevailing in the finals of the competition and the unexpected call for me to start my run, I got tangled with my technical equipment and… that caused me to remain unaware of the hijab that I should have observed,” the athlete stated.

“I returned to Iran peacefully, in perfect health and according to the predetermined plan. I apologise to the people of Iran because of the tensions created,” Elnaz added, claiming she had “no plan to say goodbye to the national team.”

Fans continued to chant and applaud as the climber left the airport. It was unclear where Elnaz was headed.

The New York based Centre for Human Rights in Iran commented on the athlete's return, saying: “A hero’s welcome — including by women without the forced-hijab — outside Tehran airport for-pro climber Elnaz Rekabi. Concerns for her safety remain.”

The Iranian climber's comments were similar to ones made in an Instagram post on Tuesday where she apologised for “concerns” caused, insisting her lack of hijab at competition had been “unintentional."

The Islamic republic has been known and repeatedly accused of forcing or coercing people into making false statements in front of cameras or on social media accounts. With fears growing yesterday after no communication had been seen from the athlete following her appearance at the competition abroad, activists were convinced that the athlete had been arrested upon her arrival into Iran.

Unconfirmed reports suggested the athlete she had been pressured by Iranian officials in South Korea.

BBC Persian quoted an unnamed source who said friends had been unable to contact her and the team had left their hotel in Seoul on Monday, two days before the scheduled departure date. Tweets emerged just hours before the athlete made her public appearance in Tehran, saying BBC had reported Rekabi was missing, and Iranian authorities had confiscated her phone and passport.

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Nazanin Boniadi, a British actress of Iranian origin, who is also an ambassador for Amnesty International in the UK, tweeted that it was clear Rekabi had been “being forced to make this statement by authorities that constantly use forced and televised confessions.”

Seeing how anxious #ElnazRekabi is in this interview it is clear she is being forced to make this statement by authorities that constantly use forced and televised confessions.

We stand by you, Elnaz. #MahsaAmini https://t.co/3ML7KGg2Jg

— Nazanin Boniadi (@NazaninBoniadi) October 19, 2022

Observers “should not be swayed by state propaganda”, said the CHRI.

News website Iran Wire has said the head of Iran’s climbing federation had “tricked” Elnaz into entering the Iranian embassy in Seoul and upon her entry the federation chief promised her safe passage to Iran if she handed over her phone and passport.

In a statement issued to AFP, the Iranian embassy in Seoul denies “all the fake, false news and disinformation regarding” the situation.

The United Nations office of the high commissioner for human rights, Ravina Shamdasani, has confirmed that the UN has been “closely following” the case, a spokesperson said. Concerns from the UN are also being raised with the Iranian authorities.

The incident involving Elnaz Rekabi took place at the Asian Championships in sports climbing in Seoul on Sunday.

A stream posted by the International Federation of Sport Climbing showed the athlete with her head covered by a bandana in the initial bouldering discipline, but in the later lead climbing, scaling a high wall with a rope, she wore only a headband.

Read more about what's happening in Iran in our recent Hot Press feature.