Iran has recently witnessed a severe intensification of its hijab enforcement, with numerous reports emerging of violent arrests, harassment, and detentions of women across various cities. The government’s renewed crackdown on women who defy the mandatory headscarf law follows a directive from Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei emphasizing the “utmost importance” of the hijab.
The operation, known as the “Nour Project,” has seen a resurgence of the “Morality Police” in public spaces, targeting women who are perceived to be in violation of the strict dress code. Reports are circulating of sexual assault, beatings, tasering, and even breaking into vehicles to arrest non-compliant women. Among those arrested, Dina Ghalibaf, a student journalist, shared a harrowing account of being detained and sexually assaulted by officers. Her social media account has been suspended following her report, and her current whereabouts remain unknown.
The crackdown has seen a chilling inclusion of plainclothes officers who surround women during arrests, making it harder for bystanders to intervene. The recent arrest of the wife and daughter of well-known Iranian football goalkeeper Ahmadreza Abedzadeh, allegedly for “causing tensions and clashing with officers,” underscores the regime’s unrelenting stance on the issue.
Iranian journalist and activist Masih Alinejad has been vocal about the situation, highlighting the connection between the Supreme Leader’s orders and the violent enforcement. Alinejad urged the international community to “Stand against this silent war against Iranian women,” drawing parallels with the tragic death of Mahsa Amini, who became a symbol of resistance after her death in custody for an alleged hijab infraction.
Despite a global outcry following Amini’s death, which sparked the “Woman, Life, Liberty” protests, the Iranian parliament has been working to further toughen penalties related to hijab laws. Businesses have faced closures for multiple infractions, and surveillance measures like cameras have been implemented to monitor compliance. The presence of “hijabban,” plainclothes agents, has become increasingly common, especially in metro stations in Tehran.
Internationally, there have been calls to classify the enforced hijab law and associated gender-based discrimination as gender apartheid and a crime against humanity. The Center for Human Rights in Iran (CHRI) has called for a strong international response to the Islamic Republic’s actions, which “significantly increase the threat of unchecked state violence against” women and girls.
“Hijab enforcers have poured into the streets and the subway, warning women, and trying to humiliate people on the metro and streets as if their enemy is us women. They are desperate and want to exact the hard revenge on us instead of Israel,” Samaneh Sami, a social scientist and journalist tweeted.“