The 1979 confrontation between Oriana Fallaci and Ayatollah Khomeini

In 1979, Italian journalist Oriana Fallaci conducted a tense interview with Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini in Qom, Iran. To gain access to the Iranian leader, Fallaci was required to wear a chador, a heavy black garment covering her entire body except for her face.

During the discussion, Fallaci challenged the Ayatollah regarding the new regime's policies, including political executions, the suppression of independent media, and the stripping of women's rights. When questioning the mandatory dress code, Khomeini claimed the chador was intended to protect respectable women and stated that Fallaci was not obligated to wear it if she found it distasteful. Taking him at his word, Fallaci immediately removed the garment in his presence, revealing her hair.

This event remains a notable moment in journalistic history, highlighting the deep ideological divide between the secular Western press and the post-revolutionary Iranian leadership regarding gender equality and civil liberties.