Iranian police detain top football players at New Year's Eve party

Several top football players were detained by Iranian police on New Year's Eve in Tehran. They were detained for a brief period for hanging out with women and consuming alcohol at the party.

The identities of the players have not been revealed, but local media reports state that several former and current players were detained at the party.

"Some of the players were in an abnormal state due to alcohol consumption," reported the Iranian news agency Tasnim. It is still not known how many players were arrested.

Drinking alcohol and mixed parties of unrelated men and women are illegal and considered sins under Islamic law in Iran, writes The Guardian.

Cultural and social restrictions have been a regular feature of Iranian life since the 1979 Islamic revolution. The country does not allow dancing with the opposite gender among many other strict rules. These restrictions are the reasons behind the protests since September last year.

Since the revolution, women in Iran have been forced to wear long, loose clothing and cover their hair - something liberal-minded youngsters sometimes flout by painting their nails and wearing headscarves that still show hair. Men could also be arrested for wearing shorts or going topless.

The anger and oppression felt by Iranians spilled onto the streets after the death of a young girl named Mahsa Amini while in police custody. She was detained while on a visit to Iran for breaking hijab rules. According to witnesses, Amini was thrashed while being taken to a detention centre.

The girl died after falling into a coma following her detention by the morality police. Her death sparked protests all across Iran with women at the helm of these demonstrations.

Iranian women are required to cover their hair and neck with a headscarf. The morality police, formally called "Gasht-e Ershad" (Guidance Patrols), have the power to stop and detain women who they think are not properly dressed.

The dress code has long been a contentious point between Iran's conservative and reformist movements.