Iran’s newly elected president, Masoud Pezeshkian, has declared that the country’s morality police will no longer “bother” women over the enforcement of the mandatory hijab headscarf. This announcement, made on the second anniversary of the death of Mahsa Amini, who died in police custody after being arrested for allegedly not adhering to hijab regulations, marks a significant shift in the Iranian government’s stance on women’s dress codes.
Masoud Pezeshkian’s statement came amid ongoing international criticism and a recent United Nations report highlighting the continued repression of women’s rights in Iran. The UN’s findings, released last week, indicated that the Iranian government had intensified efforts to suppress women’s freedoms and curtail activism since Amini’s death, with increased violence against women who defy strict dress codes.
In his first press conference since taking office in July, following the death of his predecessor Ebrahim Raisi in a helicopter crash, Masoud Pezeshkian addressed the issue after a female journalist reported having to avoid police vans due to her loosely worn headscarf. He assured that the morality police would no longer confront women in public spaces, promising to follow up on the matter to ensure compliance.
Masoud Pezeshkian, who campaigned on a platform of reform, including easing some of Iran’s stringent internet controls and opposing aggressive enforcement of hijab laws, has signaled a potentially more progressive approach. The press conference also saw some female journalists adopting looser head coverings, a change from the stringent dress code previously enforced at official events.
Despite these signs of potential relaxation, the UN report paints a grim picture of women’s rights in Iran. It describes a system that relegates women to second-class status, noting increased surveillance and harsher punishments for those who fail to adhere to hijab laws. The report highlights a troubling escalation in physical violence by security forces, as well as the potential for more severe penalties under a proposed “Hijab and Chastity” bill. This bill, nearing approval by Iran’s Guardian Council, could impose exorbitant fines, extended prison sentences, and restrictions on women’s work, education, and travel.
The contrast between Masoud Pezeshkian’s assurances and the UN’s findings underscores the ongoing tension between the Iranian government’s public statements and the lived reality for women in the country.
