Continued Crackdown on Opponents of Mandatory Hijab; MP: It Won't Be Resolved with Arrests

Government threats and actions against women opposing mandatory hijab in Iran continue, with the latest case being the CEO of the municipal bus terminals in Qazvin announcing that services will not be provided to women who do not comply with hijab rules. Majid Islami stated on Saturday, July 1, that 'hijab is a matter of legal and religious boundaries,' emphasizing that services will not be offered at bus terminals to those who do not adhere to these limits. He added that this issue has been communicated to all companies in coordination with the trade association of transportation companies. Islami also urged tourists to respect Islamic principles and hijab during their visit to Qazvin. Concurrently, a member of the Islamic Consultative Assembly emphasized in an interview with the Jamaran website that the hijab issue cannot be resolved through coercive methods and arrests. Ali Rezaei, a member of the Economic Commission of the Parliament, pointed out that the Parliament's actions indicate that representatives prioritize the hijab issue over the livelihood of the people. He stressed that the economic situation of the people is not good at all and called on the government to find solutions to control inflation and reduce the prices of essential goods. Opponents and critics of the Islamic Republic also argue that the government should focus on solving economic problems and controlling inflation instead of cracking down on women and concentrating on mandatory hijab. Rezaei echoed the words of Ali Khamenei, attributing women's civil disobedience regarding hijab to the 'enemy.' He stated, 'The enemy wants to harm the sanctity of the family through disrespect, norm-breaking, bad hijab, and non-hijab.' Ali Khamenei, the leader of the Islamic Republic, had previously stated that 'unveiling is both a religious and political sin' and claimed that 'the enemy has entered this area with a plan.' Over recent years, Islamic Republic officials have consistently blamed citizens' protests and civil disobedience on the 'enemy' or foreign media without providing evidence for these claims. In response to 'non-hijab' among women in Iran, dozens of tourist sites, businesses, and medical centers have been shut down in various cities due to the presence of unveiled women. Additionally, the Iranian police have implemented other measures, including vehicle confiscation, sending warning text messages, and identifying unveiled women through city-installed cameras and referring them to judicial authorities since April 15 of this year. Nevertheless, images of women in Iran appearing in public spaces with optional attire continue to emerge daily. Majid Emami, the Secretary of the Public Culture Council of Iran, stated about a month ago that 'between 15 to 20 percent of women in Tehran are unveiling,' suggesting that the number of women refusing to comply with mandatory hijab is much larger than what the government can handle in terms of enforcement and arrests. The Public Culture Council's solution for promoting 'mandatory hijab' includes clinics for treating hijab-related misconduct. The Islamic Republic government is implementing a ranking of executive agencies based on 'hijab law.' The confrontation between the government and the people over 'mandatory hijab' continues; hijab is considered the first line of defense for the regime. The ongoing 'closure therapy' in Iran has seen the Mandana Cinema shut down due to 'non-hijab' of two viewers. The mandatory hijab in the University of Art has led to the detention of 'a large number' of protesting students. The continuation of civil disobedience and the government's reaction has resulted in the formation of three hundred judicial cases related to the 'chastity and hijab' plan.