Following are excerpts from a TV report on Iranian female ninjas, which aired on Press TV on January 30, 2012.

Reporter (dressed in black ninja garb): So I've come here to unlock the mysteries of these fighters - famous from Japan.

They are commonly known as ninjas - the legendary commandoes of feudal Japan. But I didn't have to travel all the way to the other end of the world. Instead, a small school in the heart of Iran is where I learned about the vast array of skills that they use - namely, ninjutsu.

Muso No Kamae is the name of this position that I'm taking right now. In this practice, the purpose is to avoid the bow, which is the primary weapon in ninjutsu, as Sensei tries to hit me.

I don't know whether it works of not, but I certainly did dodge the bow.

After the bow, the sword, and the nunchucks, ninjutsu instructor Rahima Mohiti showed me an essential weapon that can definitely not be mistaken for a toy.

Rahima Mohiti: Shuriken, bo-shuriken. A ninja can use these after training for two years.

Reporter: This is the most iconic weapon in ninjutsu, but of course, I'm not going to try this one. This is what I'm going to use.

I learned that there's more to the bow than meets the eye. It can actually be used as a shield against the shurikens.

This is all thanks to Sensei Akbar Faraji, who established ninjutsu in Iran about 22 years ago.

Sensei Akbar Faraji: In ninjutsu, we call men ninjas, while females are called kunoichi. There are over 24,000 official members in Iran's ninjutsu club. They have been practicing since 1989.

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.

Reporter: What is known to the world as the deadliest martial art has proven to be quite popular in Iran, especially among women. There are currently 3,500 female ninjas officially training. They say the world of ninjutsu has actually taught them how to maintain mental and physical balance.

In order to develop the skill to use those deadly weapons, students need to learn how to be quick and focused. This is the object of all their indoor practices.

Ninjutsu instructor Fatima Muamer told me that it's more important to learn how to think like a ninja than fight like one.

Fatima Muamer: The most important lesson in ninjutsu is respect and humility. 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.

Reporter: The secret of these mysterious warriors lies within the spirit of ninjutsu, which begins with respect and ends with humility.

[...]