An Iranian journalist who launched a ground-breaking Facebook page against enforced hijab scored a small victory on Wednesday after President Hassan Rouhani was confronted with a picture of woman without a headscarf from her campaign.

Women across Iran share pictures and videos of themselves without headscarves on Masih Alinejad’s My Stealthy Freedom Facebook page, which now has over 900,000 followers.

Ms Alinejad, an Iranian journalist based in New York, launched the Facebook page as a stand against the repressive laws enforced against women in Iran. Her campaign has rapidly grown into an internationally recognised movement, with increasing numbers of women sharing their moments of ‘stealthy freedom’ on her site.

President Rouhani became familiar with one of these images during an interview with David Pujadas a journalist for France 2, and Jean-Pierre Elkabbach, a journalist for Europe 1, on Wednesday.

A journalist shows Rouhani the image

Mr Pujadas presented Rouhani with a woman holding a scarf high above her head and asked Rouhani if he felt shocked or offended by it.

According a translation obtained by The Independent, Rouhani replied: “What an issue! We have so many issues so we don't have time for these things. Everyone in Iran is free in their own private lives to do as they please. But when someone lives in Iran, they should abide by the laws of the country.”

عکس یک زن ایرانی از صفحه آزادی های یواشکی جلوی صورت روحانی بالا می رود در دفتر خود رییس جمهور در ایرانخنده های کمی عصبی... Posted by Masih Alinejad on Wednesday, 11 November 2015

Rouhani refused to back down on the law or praise more progressive Muslim countries such as Turkey and Morocco, where women who do wear the hijab do so out of choice.

He said rules around enforced hijab should be dealt with by lawmakers in Iran.

“In every country there are rules for the society. There are a number of rules for men and women on dress code and I am responsible to obey the laws,” he said.

“The laws are made in Parliament and it is the lawmakers in the parliament who approve the laws and all the people must respect the law.”

In pictures: Iranian women remove their hijabs Show all 10 1 /10 In pictures: Iranian women remove their hijabs In pictures: Iranian women remove their hijabs Stealthy Freedoms of Iranian Women Women in Iran have been posting pictures of themselves on social media without wearing their hijab, where it has been illegal for a female to leave the house without wearing a headscarf. In pictures: Iranian women remove their hijabs Stealthy Freedoms of Iranian Women This photo was accompanied by: 'After a few years of being away from my nation, I stepped on its vast plains again; not stealthily though. Hoping for the day when all my nation’s women can taste freedom with their whole bodies and souls' In pictures: Iranian women remove their hijabs Stealthy Freedoms of Iranian Women Photos are being posted to the Stealthy Freedoms of Iranian Women Facebook page, which has amassed over 140,000 likes since it was created just a week ago. In pictures: Iranian women remove their hijabs Stealthy Freedoms of Iranian Women "I dream of the day when your eyelids are my cover (rather than veil)." In pictures: Iranian women remove their hijabs Stealthy Freedoms of Iranian Women This woman posted: 'My moments of freedom have always been full of fear. 'This photo was taken in autumn ( in Sorkhehesar Park). My mind was busy with freedom; but my body all trembled with fear.' In pictures: Iranian women remove their hijabs Stealthy Freedoms of Iranian Women Iran's president Hassan Rouhani has expressed more progressive views than his predecessors since his election. On the subject of the strict Islamic dress code that includes the hijab, he said he was against a crackdown on women wearing looser clothing in the sweltering summers. In pictures: Iranian women remove their hijabs Stealthy Freedoms of Iranian Women These women said their greatest 'girlish dream' is feeling the wind blow through their hair In pictures: Iranian women remove their hijabs Stealthy Freedoms of Iranian Women "I took this one single photo in the yard of Golestan Palace quietly,stealthily, with difficulty, and away from the eyes of the guards." In pictures: Iranian women remove their hijabs Stealthy Freedoms of Iranian Women "I'm a woman from a country with the least respect for human rights. I was born in a country where religion , tradition, and Islamic Regime has destroyed the beauty. I can see the freedom I will have gained soon. And I’ll enjoy the feeling of belonging to myself. I’ll enjoy my rights as a citizen. I’ll enjoy human rights. I’ll enjoy having freedom of choice ." In pictures: Iranian women remove their hijabs Stealthy Freedoms of Iranian Women The site is dedicated to Iranian women inside the country "who want to share their 'stealthily' taken photos without the veil."

Last week, a popular Iranian actress was denounced by the Iranian Government for joining the protest by unveiling on her Instagram feed. Sadaf Taherian, who is now living in Dubai, has allegedly lost her work licence because she refused to remove the photos, effectively banning her from appearing in Iranian television and film.

Ms Alinejad said she was thrilled an Iranian woman’s voice has finally reached the President’s ear.

She told The Independent: “It shows that women on My Stealthy Freedom can now became the main agents of change in Iran and no one can ignore them.

President Hassan Rouhani is kicking off a landmark trip to Europe (AFP/Getty Images)

“I wish that I as an Iranian journalist was sat next to Rouhani to ask him the same question, by also reading him some excerpts from his own memoirs to remind him that he himself was one of the staunch architects of the mandatory dress code.

“Rouhani stated that in Iran everyone was free to do whatever he or she wanted in his or her private life. However, he continued, when someone lives in Iran, they should abide by the laws of the country.