Business Shutdowns at Mandatory Hijab Station; 'Therapeutic Closure' Continues

Reports from Iran indicate that the closure of businesses remains one of the tools used by the Islamic Republic to enforce 'mandatory hijab' in society. In a recent case, a restaurant in Tehran's District 1 has reported being shut down due to hijab violations. The 'Lidolanji' restaurant located in the Niavaran area announced on its Instagram account that it has been closed until 'further notice' for not adhering to 'Islamic hijab'. The crackdown on cafes and restaurants in District 1 of Tehran contradicts claims that there has been no enforcement of optional hijab in affluent areas of the city, which had been suggested in some circles. Analysts believe that the Islamic Republic will act 'more severely' in these areas during the latest round of enforcement, sending a clear message to society about the continuation of mandatory policies regarding 'hijab and chastity'. In this context, the government's actions towards businesses also convey the message that through continued 'therapeutic closure', it will halt operations of businesses that do not comply with the regulations at the 'mandatory hijab station'. Reports indicate that the Islamic Republic insists on this path, as the 'Etemad Online' website briefly reported on November 22 that one branch of the 'Yoguland' ice cream shop in Mashhad was closed due to 'improper hijab'. Additionally, on Saturday, November 27, the 'ISNA' news agency quoted the head of the Information and Public Security Police of Semnan Province, who reported the closure of 23 violating businesses within 20 days. Akbar Ghasemi stated that these closures are part of the plan 'to enhance social security and combat public manifestations of corruption and social anomalies in businesses and public places'. On November 10, a judicial official reported the closure of five 'violating' cafes and restaurants that hosted a so-called Halloween event in Shiraz. Observers believe that the Islamic Republic's approach to well-known cafes and restaurants, even if there is no pretext, is aimed at instilling a 'sense of fear' and 'insecurity for businesses' in society. The 'Ham-Mihan' newspaper also reported a reduction in working hours for cafes, quoting one of the managers of Tehran cafes saying, 'We preferred to be less present to have more peace.' In this context, the 'Ham-Mihan' newspaper reported on November 20, quoting a cafe owner: 'Once the excuse was that the area around the cafe is crowded and needs to be cleared. Another time they asked why customers come in shorts. The next time they came without any excuse; one of the female staff had a piercing, and for that reason, they closed our cafe.' This newspaper also reported a reduction in working hours for cafes, quoting one of the managers of Tehran cafes saying, 'We preferred to be less present to have more peace.' The accounts from this newspaper regarding several other cafes indicate that they have been forced to clear their outdoor spaces as much as possible to avoid further closures. The trend of events in Iran shows that after the nationwide protests in September 2022 following the death of Mahsa Amini in the custody of 'morality police', the enforcement against optional hijab had weakened. However, after a year, the Islamic Republic has not only returned 'morality police' to the streets but has also added 'hijab monitors' to metro stations and resorted to methods such as closing businesses and denying services to those who do not comply with mandatory hijab. The closure of non-governmental schools in Zahedan due to management by Sunni clerics, several cafes and part of a hotel in Shiraz due to hosting a Halloween event, the closure of a hall hosting a ceremony honoring doctors due to the presence of a doctor without mandatory hijab, and the arrest of a shopkeeper in Shahrud for resisting the order to promote virtue are all part of the ongoing 'therapeutic closure' under the pretext of hijab; a systematic violation of people's property by the government. The University of Tehran against cafes; the termination and 'non-renewal' of contracts have turned off the lights of cafes.