80 Years Since the Unveiling of Hijab in Iran

Eighty years have passed since the unveiling of hijab in Iran. On January 7, 1936, the Iranian Parliament passed a law that forced Iranian women to refrain from wearing the chador, veil, and headscarf. This action has since faced a great deal of both positive and negative opinions, and support and opposition to the unveiling of hijab in Iran continue to this day. After World War II, compulsory hijab in Iran was replaced by optional hijab, and after the Islamic Revolution of February 1979, hijab became mandatory once again. In an interview with Radio Farda, Iranian lawyer Mehrangiz Kar, residing in the United States, believes that '20 years after the unveiling of hijab in Iran, with the increase in the number of unveiled women, a kind of confidence was created, and we witnessed a generation of women and girls who entered social, cultural, and even political activities after their education.' According to her, 'In the last years of the previous regime, women were actively present in various positions, even in ministries, alongside men in the cultural, social, and political life of the country.' Mehrangiz Kar also discusses the critics of the unveiling of hijab in Iran, stating: 'This group also has their logical foundations and is correct in some respects, believing that anything imposed on people by force and coercion will likely provoke a strong reaction.' She adds, 'In countries where hijab is optional, women mostly wear appropriate attire that aligns with societal norms, and unlike women in countries where hijab is compulsory, they do not resort to inappropriate clothing to express their dissent.'