Iran's newly appointed president, Masoud Pezeshkian, has indicated that the country's morality police will no longer "bother" women over the mandatory hijab headscarf, according to a report by the BBC. The statement comes just days after the United Nations cautioned that women in Iran were still facing violent punishment for violating the strict dress code.
Pezeshkian's comments, made during his first press conference since taking office in July, coincided with the second anniversary of Mahsa Amini's death in police custody. Amini, 22, was arrested for allegedly not wearing the hijab properly, an incident that sparked nationwide protests in 2022.
Responding to a female reporter who mentioned taking detours to avoid police vans on her way to the press conference, Pezeshkian stated, "The morality police were not supposed to confront [women]. I will follow up so they don't bother [them]." The exchange, broadcast live on major state TV networks including rolling news channel IRINN, has since gone viral online.
The president's remarks suggest a potential shift in the enforcement of Iran's mandatory hijab law. During his election campaign, Pezeshkian pledged to oppose police patrols enforcing the headscarf requirement and vowed to ease some of the country's long-standing internet controls.
However, the UN's latest fact-finding mission paints a different picture. In a report released last week, the UN stated that Iran's government had "intensified efforts" to suppress women's rights and crush activism since the 2022 protests. The report noted that authorities have "enhanced surveillance of hijab compliance" in both public and private environments while escalating violence in punishing women and girls who break the rules.
The UN mission also highlighted that a "Hijab and Chastity" bill is in the final stages of approval before Iran's Guardian Council. If passed, the legislation would introduce harsher penalties for women who do not wear the mandatory hijab, including substantial fines, longer prison sentences, restrictions on work and educational opportunities, and travel bans.
Despite these concerns, there were signs of a potentially more relaxed attitude at Pezeshkian's press conference, where some female journalists wore loose head coverings. This marked a departure from previous official events where full hijab was typically required for female journalists, the BBC reported.
Pezeshkian, who became president after his predecessor died in a helicopter crash, is viewed as a potentially reformist leader. His comments on the morality police and hijab enforcement have sparked discussions about possible changes in Iran's approach to women's rights and personal freedoms.
As Iran grapples with these internal issues, the international community continues to monitor the situation closely. The contrast between Pezeshkian's statements and the UN's findings highlights the complex and evolving nature of Iran's social and political landscape.
