
It may look like a scene out of Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon - but these Iranian women are practicing their moves in a bid to become highly-trained ninjas.

They were pictured brandishing deadly weapons while performing back flips and gravity-defying stunts in Iran - where the specialist martial art of Ninjutsu is popular with female pupils.

At this club which opened in 1989 and is based at the Jughin castle 25 miles outside of the capital Tehran there are 4,000 women in training to become kunoichi - female ninjas.

They learn to climb and jump walls, hide in the mountains and 'slice the neck of a rival without making a sound'.

In Iran, there are 4,000 women in training to become kunoichi - female ninjas. Here they are pictured practicing their moves in the desert

This club at the Jughin castle opened in 1989 and tens of thousands of women have trained there

Four of the women are seen in their camouflage uniforms performing high kicks - one of the skills they learn during training

To become a kunoichi - or female ninja - requires incredible acrobatic strength and agility

The highly-skilled women also train with weapons including chains which can be used to take out opponents

Ninjutsu instructor Fatima Muamer had previously said that the sport increasingly appeals to women as it helps maintain balance between the body and the mind.

Iran has a mandatory Army conscription for men aged 18, but it is limited to 18 months service, so these kunoichi could prove very useful.

Ms Muamer said: 'The most important lesson in ninjutsu is respect and humility.

The warriors also learn to climb and jump walls during their training - during which they wear 'ninja ranger' headbands

The women also learn how to handle these enormous bladed weapons with extreme precision

Sensei Akbar Faraji was the first to introduce ninjutsu to Iran when he set up the club 22 years ago - which now has 24,000 members

During their training the warriors need to have extreme flexibility so they can pull off some of the more challenging moves

The women are said to be so skilled that they can 'slice the neck of a rival without making a sound'

Some of the poses look like scenes from the film Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon - but they are actually highly-trained fighting warriors

Ninjutsu instructor Fatima Muamer had previously said that the sport increasingly appeals to women as it helps maintain balance between the body and the mind

'They learn to respect themselves - first to respect their existence and then the art that they are mastering.

'Calmness is the most important lesson they learn.'

Pupils at the school are taught to use dangerous weapons - including the bow, swords, nunchucks and shurikens - small traditional Japanese implements known as 'swords in the hand'.

Sensei Akbar Faraji was the first to introduce ninjutsu to Iran when he set up the club 22 years ago - which now has 24,000 members.

Iran has a mandatory Army conscription for men aged 18, but it is limited to 18 months service, so these kunoichi could prove very useful

Pupils at the school are taught to use dangerous weapons - including the bow, swords, nunchucks and shurikens - small traditional Japanese implements known as 'swords in the hand'

During their training the women perform back flips and gravity-defying stunts

They also alternate between camouflage uniforms and traditional white martial arts outfits

Ninjutsu instructor Fatima Muamer said that while the training teaches students how to fight, 'the most important lesson in ninjutsu is respect and humility'

He said: 'In ninjutsu, we call men ninjas, while females are called kunoichi.

'Being a ninja is about patience, tolerance, and fortitude. Literally it means the art of becoming invisible.

'Ninjutsu, or martial arts in general, can be described as a medicine. Just like snake poison, despite the fact that it can be very dangerous, it can be a good antidote as well.'

Ninjutsu is considered to be one of the deadliest martial art forms and is associated with covert agents and mercenaries specialising in unorthodox methods of war in Japan between 1185 and 1868.

Sensei Akbar Faraji, who started the club in Iran decades ago, said: 'Being a ninja is about patience, tolerance, and fortitude. Literally it means the art of becoming invisible'

They practice their moves in the searing heat of Iran - where temperatures can reach near to 70 degrees celsius

Ninjutsu instructor Fatima Muamer said: 'They learn to respect themselves - first to respect their existence and then the art that they are mastering. Calmness is the most important lesson they learn'

They wear long black boots and a martial arts belt while performing flips and other daring moves

The women train in large groups at the school, which is based at the Jughin castle - 25 miles outside the capital Tehran

This ninja warrior performed the splits while spinning a weapon above her head

The women themselves say that the martial art gives them a sense of discipline and self worth

The women themselves say that the martial art gives them a sense of discipline and self worth.

One of the ninjas-in-training, named Melika, told El Mundo: 'Here we are free. We live art ninja as a philosophy of life.

'It helps us to endure the hardships of everyday life, to be patient, strong and disciplined.

'It is a spiritual art. We're not looking to fight anyone outside the classroom.'

The ninjas-in-training use weapons such as the bow, swords, nunchucks and shurikens

During their training the women exhibit extraordinary ability in fighting and martial arts

Ninjutsu is considered to be one of the deadliest martial art forms

The martial art is associated with covert agents and mercenaries specialising in unorthodox methods of war in Japan between 1185 and 1868

Sensei Akbar Faraji added: 'Ninjutsu, or martial arts in general, can be described as a medicine. Just like snake poison, despite the fact that it can be very dangerous, it can be a good antidote as well'

Mr Faraji added: 'The truth is that its lethal power is undeniable.

'They learn to climb walls, jump walls and fences without being seen, to hide in the mountains and are capable of slicing the neck rival without making a sound.

'I must be very sure that my students will not use the techniques of ninjutsu to hurt anyone or sneak into someone else's house.'