Claims by the Attorney General of the Islamic Republic: The 'Unveiling' Law of Reza Shah is the Reason for 'Social Anomalies'; Continuation of Suppression of Women's Freedoms in Iran

Simultaneously with the release of visual reports of violence by police forces against women to suppress voluntary dress, the Attorney General of the Islamic Republic supported the 'Noor Plan' and claimed that 45 years is not a long time for 'cultural development' and that 'social anomalies' are caused by the 'Unveiling Law' of Reza Shah. According to reports from Iranian news agencies, Mohammad Mohammadi Azad, the Attorney General of the Islamic Republic, supported the actions of the police command in the so-called 'Noor Plan', stating that 'the generalities of the Noor Plan are approved' and 'for the proper implementation of the plan, guidelines have been prepared by the Attorney General's office and will soon be communicated to the police.' Concurrently with the statements of this high-ranking judicial official, video reports of violent confrontations by numerous police officers against women who are engaging in civil disobedience against mandatory hijab are being published. A video report released on Wednesday shows numerous male and female police officers violently arresting a young woman, while one officer is filming them. Mohammadi Azad also stated that '45 years is not a long time for cultural development' and considered women's use of voluntary dress as a 'social anomaly' stemming from the 'Unveiling Law' during the reign of Reza Shah Pahlavi, claiming that 'the enemy has been after it.' The term 'enemy' is a keyword used by Iranian officials to refer to European countries, the United States, and Israel. The Attorney General of the Islamic Republic stated that there should be a 'leveling' in the government's confrontation with women's voluntary dress, emphasizing that 'the focus should be on dealing with organized crimes and regarding loose hijab, our recommendation and emphasis is on taking corrective actions with the approach of enlightening individuals.' Mohammadi Azad also called for the 'Noor Plan' to have a 'serious presence' in the 'production and supply of inappropriate clothing.' Since April 14, the Islamic Republic has deployed its police and plainclothes forces in the streets of various cities in Iran under the 'Noor Plan', but despite widespread arrests, civil resistance against it continues. The intensified crackdown by the Islamic Republic's officials on women to enforce mandatory hijab has been met with widespread criticism from human rights organizations and international bodies. The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom, in a statement in May, referred to the increasing repression of women and girls in Iran due to 'defiance' of mandatory hijab laws, calling for more sanctions against Iranian officials, including security officials. Additionally, Amnesty International on Wednesday issued an open letter to Iranian officials requesting the unconditional release of all those detained for defying mandatory hijab laws. In previous days, a police officer announced to Voice of America that the plainclothes forces present in the 'Noor Plan' are responsible for monitoring and filming officers to address potential 'rebellion' cases. Fariborz Karami-Zand, a former police officer, confirmed this narrative, stating that commanders of the police force are often aware that 'widespread dissatisfaction ultimately leads to rebellion.'