Christiane Amanpour was all set to interview Iran’s president in New York on Wednesday when Iranian officials stepped in with a last-minute condition: The CNN host would have to wear a head covering, in deference to Iranian custom and an Islamic religious ritual.

Amanpour said she refused — at which point aides to president Ebrahim Raisi canceled the interview, setting off an incident that underscored tensions over women’s rights in Iran.