TEHRAN, IRAN: Iran will start manufacturing "Islamic bicycles" for women that conceal their figure, the government newspaper Iran reported on May 17th.

"This bike has a cabin which conceals half of the cyclist's body," the newspaper said. Elaheh Sofali, an architect of the project, told Iran it would encourage women's sports in the Islamic republic.

Faezeh Hashemi, a daughter of former president Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, was instrumental in encouraging women to take to the saddle in the 1990s when she was in charge of women's participation in the Olympics.

However, she was opposed by Islamic hardliners.