Mohammad Jafar Moradi, who represented Iran at the 2016 Olympic Games, won the Tehran's first-ever marathon on Friday.

The course took male runners from the Azadi Sports Complex through the Azadi square in western Tehran. Women ran separately, inside the Azadi sports complex, where Parisa Arab finished in first place in 10 kilometers race.

Ali Akbar Barzi crossed the finish line in 21 kilometers race and Hossein Keyhani won the 10 kilometers race.

According to Majid Keyhani, the head of Iran's track and field federation, at least 160 foreign runners, including 50 women, had signed up, in addition to 600 Iranian runners, including 156 women.

Only amateurs took part in the inaugural event, but the organizers say they hope to attract professional runners in the coming years.

Iran organized a similar race in the southern city of Shiraz last year to convince the officials that a marathon can be done in the country.