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Crackdown Returns
Iranian women are facing renewed pressure over mandatory hijab rules as videos circulate showing women reportedly being confronted and shamed in public.
“Iranian women are again facing scrutiny over mandatory hijab rules”
The renewed crackdown is tied to the fallout from Mahsa Jina Amini’s 2022 death, which sparked the “Woman, Life, Freedom” protests, and the Times of India reports that hardliners have pushed for stricter enforcement even as Iran grapples with the fallout of its conflict with the US.
State media have reported the closure of cafes, restaurants and shops accused of failing to enforce mandatory dress rules, and on July 19 HRANA said at least seven cafes and restaurants in Tehran were shut down for allegedly failing to enforce the mandatory hijab.
In South Khorasan province, the Mehr news agency reported that 10 cafes were closed over alleged violations of “social norms and mandatory hijab rules,” while the Tehran Prosecutor's Office warned of serious action against alleged “indecency” at cafes, restaurants and shops selling clothing considered inappropriate.
Voices Split
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian questioned whether stricter laws can change people's behaviour, telling a conservative cleric’s view that “The cleric mentioned hijab… Well, there are neighborhoods, there are mosques, go and work on it there! Can you really change people’s behavior through laws?”
Pezeshkian added, “Changing behavior is a cultural matter; it’s about belief. You can’t create belief in people through force,” and the Times of India also notes that former MP Gholamali Jafarzadeh Imanabadi argued officials should focus on inflation and people's livelihoods rather than the hijab.
Hardliners, however, have stepped up pressure for tougher enforcement, and Kayhan editor Hossein Shariatmadari described enforcement as both a legal obligation and a religious duty.
In the CNN account of the renewed crackdown, Jomana Karadsheh reports that videos circulating on social media show women being shamed on the streets for what they're wearing, particularly if they don't have the mandatory hijab on.
What’s at Stake
The dispute over enforcement is framed against the earlier crackdown that followed Mahsa Amini’s detention over allegations that she was improperly dressed, and the Times of India says Amini had been detained in police custody before her death sparked nationwide “Woman Life Freedom” protests.
“Parastoo Ahmadi and eight members of her band and production team were sentenced in Qom to 74 lashes”
The Times of India reports that in June, Iranian singer Parastoo Ahmadi and eight members of her band and production team were sentenced in Qom to 74 lashes and banned from leaving the country for two years, after Ahmadi appeared with uncovered hair and bare shoulders during a livestreamed performance in 2024.
Meanwhile, the Gulf News account says the regime faces an “explosive calculation” because punishing businesses is one thing, but sending morality police back onto the streets to confront large numbers of women is another, as Tehran appears wary of triggering another confrontation.
Gulf News also quotes a woman in her 60s in Tehran telling CNN that authorities still appeared reluctant to challenge women directly, saying, “Girls in Tehran are out and about wearing crop tops, shorts, and all kinds of clothes, and headscarves are practically no longer a thing,” and adding, “I don’t think they can make these girls wear headscarves again.”