Dispute Over Ebrahim Raisi's Role in the Return of 'Guidance Patrol' to the Streets

The controversy surrounding the return of the 'Guidance Patrol' to the streets has caused confusion within government ranks, with state-affiliated media coordinating to deny Ebrahim Raisi's role in this action, while government officials supported it. The Tasnim news agency reacted to this event by stating that some state media reported that the 'order from the heads of the executive and judicial branches' for implementing the anti-veil plan by 'FARAJA' is not true. Tasnim emphasizes that in a video clip released by Montazeralmahdi, the spokesperson for FARAJA, he clearly states that the police plan is in response to public demands and the 'emphasis of the heads of the executive and judicial branches.' This media outlet, affiliated with the Revolutionary Guards, insists that state media published Montazeralmahdi's clip while retaining the part emphasizing the president's role, which still exists in some of these media. In part of its report, this news agency reported on the 'media manipulation' by individuals close to Raisi, stating that some government figures contacted the news agency saying 'there was no order from the president' and requested that this part be removed if possible. However, despite the narrative provided by Tasnim regarding the government's media approach to this issue, Ali Bahadori Jahromi, the government spokesperson, tweeted: 'The president has repeatedly reminded the people and executors of the necessity of enforcing the law in the face of social anomalies' and 'recently, in various meetings, he asked the police and judiciary to act within the framework of existing laws to organize matters.' The government spokesperson, however, did not attribute the 'method' of dealing with women who do not comply with the veil to the government or Ebrahim Raisi, stating: 'The method of law enforcement is the responsibility of the judiciary and its agents.' Tasnim, however, explicitly wrote about the process that led to the return of the 'Guidance Patrol' to the streets, emphasizing that 'dealing with unconventional dress by the police is an order from the president, the minister of the interior, and the judiciary, and the police are obliged to implement this plan alongside all their other duties.' According to this news agency, the police can express their opinion on how to implement this plan, but they are not the final decision-makers. This media approach comes as conservative media welcomed and supported the return of the 'Guidance Patrol' to the streets. The Hamshahri newspaper, in an article titled 'The Second Step to Protect the Rights of the Majority,' defended the Guidance Patrol, stating that 'police patrols, both vehicular and on foot, have been deployed across the country for several days and are responsible for dealing with unveiled women and girls in addition to carrying out various police missions.' The return of the 'Guidance Patrol' to the streets comes just two months before the anniversary of the death of Mahsa Amini while in the custody of the Guidance Patrol. Public protests following the death of this Kurdish girl lasted for several months in various cities. Yesterday, the office of the U.S. special envoy for Iran expressed concern via a tweet regarding reports of the 'renewed repression' of women in Iran by the 'so-called moral security police' to enforce mandatory hijab regulations. The tweet stated: 'It seems the regime has learned nothing from the protests. Women and girls everywhere should be allowed to wear whatever they want.' A senior White House official also defended the 'inalienable right' of the people to 'decide' and of 'Iranian women' to 'choose their attire,' stating: 'The people of Iran should now be able to make decisions for themselves, and women should choose their attire, and the U.S. should exert more pressure on the Islamic Republic.' John Kirby, the National Security Council's strategic communications coordinator, stated in a press conference on Tuesday, in response to a question about the return of the 'Guidance Patrol': 'After the death of Mahsa Amini and the public protests, the people of Iran should now be able to make decisions for themselves, and women should choose their attire.'