Iran’s capital witnesses a daily crackdown on women with loose headscarves or those not wearing them at all, with police vans rushing to major squares and intersections.
The intensified enforcement follows protests over the death of Mahsa Amini, who was detained for not wearing a scarf to authorities’ liking.
The crackdown, known as the Noor Plan, began prior to the death of former President Ebrahim Raisi and continues as hard-liners within Iran’s theocracy push for stricter penalties.
Despite the enforcement efforts, many women in Tehran still wear their hijabs loosely or draped around their shoulders.
The Noor plan
Reformist presidential candidate Masoud Pezeshkian warns against the darkness that the Noor Plan could bring if enforced.
Incidents of women facing physical confrontations with enforcers have been captured in videos circulating online.
While the crackdown is widely discussed in Iran, official arrest numbers have not been released.
On a recent afternoon in northern Tehran, a police officer urged women to cover themselves, reflecting the ongoing pressure on authorities to enforce the hijab.
Hijab remains mandatory in Iran, Afghanistan
Iran and Taliban-controlled Afghanistan are the only countries where the hijab is mandatory, with strict enforcement in place despite some opposition.
The government’s insistence on enforcing the hijab is linked to its political and cultural beliefs, with penalties for non-compliance including fines and imprisonment.
Amnesty International reports arbitrary confiscation of vehicles and other penalties for hijab violations in Iran.
Despite the crackdown, there are signs of resistance and calls for a softer approach to enforcement among some presidential candidates.
Nobel laureate Narges Mohammadi, imprisoned women’s rights activist, urges a boycott of the upcoming presidential vote in protest against the regime’s repression.
