1/25/2005 3:00:00 PM GMT

Source: AP

The All-Women Games for Muslim and Asian Capitals will feature 600 women from 17 countries in the competition.

Athletes from countries such as Afghanistan, Armenia, Iraq and Thailand will take part in the week long competition in events such as athletics and swimming. All except one of the events will be closed to men due to the nature of the apparel the female athletes will be wearing.

"The Islamic Republic of Iran promotes women sports while it safeguards cultural values," parliament speaker Gholam Ali Haddad Adel said at Sunday's opening ceremony. "We like to prove to the world women could compete and observe the Islamic dress code as well."

In the past, Iranian female athletes have been restricted from participating in sporting events wear the attire was in conflict with their country's dress code. Iranian female athletes took part in the shooting events at the 2004 Olympics in Athens and the 2000 Sydney Games.

Though some conservative clerics have opposed the participation of Iranian females in some sports, moderates have succeeded in promoting the idea, gradually convincing some members of the conservative camp to agree to it.

Iran co-organised the Muslim Women Games with other Muslim countries in the mid-1990s, and hosted the Third Muslim Women Games in 2001.