In a first, Iranian authorities have dispersed a demonstration advocating for stricter enforcement of the country’s dress code rules following state-organised Quds Day rallies. Police forcefully removed dozens of demonstrators, mainly women, who had camped out in front of the parliament for nearly 50 days to protest what they see as lackluster enforcement of mandatory hijab, which they believe reflects the abandonment of “Islamic values.” Under Iranian law, both women and men are required to adhere to strict dress codes, including veils for women, or face imprisonment, flogging, or fines.

Over the years, Iran has enforced the mandatory hijab through violent policing methods, including the use of “morality police” to arrest individuals deemed to be undermining public decency. In September 2022, the arrest and subsequent death in police custody of Mahsa Amini, a young Kurdish woman, sparked nationwide protests against the hijab law, leading to numerous fatalities among protesters and security forces and the government’s claims of foreign instigation. Despite announcing plans to suspend the morality police in late 2022, the force returned, and numerous arrests followed for dress code violations.

The hijab controversy intensified as conservative factions accused the parliament chief and the president of being lenient towards the enforcement of the hijab bill. Demonstrators demanding stricter enforcement drew support from ultraconservative elements within the Iranian establishment and faced accusations of being paid to participate. After weeks of protests, Tehran’s Governor Hossein Khosh-Eghbal labelled the demonstrations “illegal” and warned that police would disperse any unauthorized gatherings. Police confirmed that many of the women had travelled from the holy city of Qom and were forcibly dispersed, with the government accusing protesters of staging a violent confrontation.

Despite claims of violence against demonstrators, the police stated that the wounds were self-inflicted, attributing a viral video to attempts to sway public opinion. The decision to disperse the protesters faced criticism from conservative politicians, with accusations of either foolishness or infiltration behind the move.

Source: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/3/30/irans-police-disperses-pro-hijab-protest-amid-security-concerns?traffic_source=rss