Parkour Becoming All the Rage in Iran

The word Parkour is derived from the French word “parcourt” which refers to traversing. It means the art of movement in the simplest, fastest way possible.

With a focus on speed and simplicity, parkour’s goal is to teach everyone to jump over obstacles in one’s life. It is a fascinating sport with many fans.

That said, some citizens confuse parkour with another activity: they consider all the gymnastics-based performances done in the streets to be parkour; while most of them are in fact part of a sport called free-running.

Despite its great popularity and professional athletes, parkour hasn’t yet found a proper place in Iran.

There are many problems in the way of this sport. The absence of proper clubs and bodies, as well as the lack of material and non-material support, are enough to discourage the parkourists. These obstacles, however, don’t hinder their activity: they continue to work with more motivation than ever.

What follows are YJC’s photos of Iranian parkour athletes: