A cultural fault line in Iran has cropped up in recent months amid the turmoil of war and the revamping of the nation’s hardline leadership: how and whether to enforce the wearing of the hijab by women.
At the height of the conflict with the United States this year, women without the headscarf were often seen at pro-government gatherings and in state media. The government and internal security forces had bigger issues to deal with.
In one video an unveiled woman carrying an Iranian flag said her husband was in the military, and that she was proud of him.
But in recent weeks, the clamor for restoring a hard line on what conservative clerics and politicians call “public nudity” has grown.
Many Iranian women are openly flouting the rule – and authorities seem wary of launching a crackdown, for now. The regime seems to have more pressing priorities – presenting the conflict with the United States as an existential struggle, managing the deep economic fall-out and reorganizing the security apparatus under the leadership of Mojtaba Khamenei.
Still, state media have been highlighting stories about cafes and other businesses being forced to close for failing to enforce rules on clothing. A CNN tally of articles in Iranian media at the end of last month found examples in half a dozen cities, including Tehran.
Four years ago, the protest movement “Woman Life Freedom” ignited after the death in police custody of Mahsa Amini, a young woman who had been detained on accusations she was improperly dressed. It was brutally suppressed.
Amnesty International reported at the end of 2024 that the Iranian authorities were waging war on women and girls “through an increasingly violent crackdown on those defying draconian compulsory veiling laws.”
But the protests had lasting consequences. Despite the drumbeat of warnings and sporadic enforcement, there is widespread defiance of official regulations, especially among young Iranian women.
On July 19, at least seven cafes and restaurants in Tehran were closed down for not enforcing the mandatory hijab, according to human rights group HRANA. The group also compiled lists of social media accounts that have been blocked for defying public dress codes.
HRANA said authorities were using vague concepts such as “violation of norms,” “violation of modesty” and “failure to observe Islamic decency” in pursuing alleged offenders. But in one instance this month, it said a boutique was closed “due to unveiling,” without giving further details.
