Did Iran arrest 30 yoga class students over their 'inappropriate outfits'?

Iranian authorities recently arrested 30 people for taking part in a private yoga class, BBC reported. The class goers were detained at a private residence in the northern city of Gorgan, where they were taking part in a mixed-gender class.

The residence was under surveillance by security forces for a while before the arrests were made.

Media reports claim that police found out about the session after it was advertised on Instagram - a heavily-monitored platform in the country. 

Speaking out on the matter, local justice department official Massoud Soleimani explained that the session's instructor, who was also taken into custody, didn't acquire a license to run the class and had advertised it on Instagram despite that. 

He added that those detained for taking part in the event were "wearing inappropriate outfits and had behaved inappropriately." 

Iran strictly prohibits mixed-gender sports activities and continues to ban professional-level yoga teaching.

News of the detainments caused quite the stir on Iranian social media. 

According to BBC, many in the country started canceling plans to sign up for yoga classes in the wake of the arrests. Yoga has long been a controversial matter in Iran, and while it isn't technically illegal, unlicensed and "unIslamic" classes, which are usually advertised on social media, are frowned upon.

Local clerics have criticized the sport previously, warning that it is prohibited under Islamic Sharia and can potentially corrupt youth.

The country also bans mixed-gender dance classes and other aerobic activities including Zumba. 

In August 2017, Iranian authorities arrested six people for performing zumba. The detainments came a couple of months after the head of the Iranian Sports for All Federation >effectively banned Zumba classes for "being contrary to Islamic precepts." 

Dancing, as a sport or hobby, is also frowned upon in Iran and has previously >led to arrests.