Escalation of Civil Resistance Against Mandatory Hijab; Minister of Culture: Hijab is a 'Red Line'

Threats from Islamic Republic officials continue in response to women's civil disobedience against mandatory hijab. Meanwhile, the Minister of Culture and Islamic Guidance, Mohammad Mehdi Esmaeili, has declared hijab a 'red line,' while the judiciary in Isfahan has organized training workshops for those enforcing the hijab, and the deputy commander of the Revolutionary Guards has accused the United States. On Wednesday, August 4, Esmaeili, while remaining silent about the sexual scandal involving Reza Saghati, the director of the ministry in Gilan and founder of the 'Chastity and Hijab Workshop,' stated that 'disrespect' towards mandatory hijab is a 'red line.' He emphasized that the government is serious about 'chastity and hijab.' According to the state news agency IRNA, this official warned about the lack of adherence to mandatory hijab in some online stores and added that he has instructed the ministry and its affiliated sectors to take serious action. These statements come amid increasing security and judicial pressures from the Islamic Republic to enforce mandatory hijab, while acts of disobedience against it are on the rise. The head of the judiciary in Isfahan announced on Wednesday that a training course for 150 to 200 individuals, referred to as 'enforcers of good and forbidders of evil,' is being held. Asadollah Jafari, speaking at a conference for 'activists in the field of enjoining good and forbidding evil,' stated that '138 individuals' have participated in this training course organized by the 'Prevention Department of the Isfahan Judiciary' in collaboration with other organizations. He noted that these courses are designed for various age groups and that 'enforcers of good and forbidders of evil should not feel alone in the field.' The deputy commander of the Revolutionary Guards also referred to women's civil disobedience against mandatory hijab as a 'new war' that is 'different from past wars.' Ali Fadavi accused the United States and claimed that 'deceived women' are at the 'front line' of this 'new war,' and that 'religious women' must play a more active role. These remarks come as numerous images of women wearing hijabs alongside women without headscarves have been published. Previously, the spokesperson for the U.S. State Department expressed concern about the return of the morality police to the streets of Iran ahead of the anniversary of Mahsa Amini's death in custody, and reports regarding the enforcement of 'mandatory hijab' by the 'morality police.' Matthew Miller emphasized that it seems the 'Islamic Republic' has not learned from recent protests, asserting that women and girls should freely choose what they want to wear. Concurrently with the efforts of Islamic Republic officials to enforce mandatory hijab, images from mourning ceremonies during Muharram in some cities have been released, featuring chants supporting women's rights, including the right to freedom of dress, as well as mourning for those killed in nationwide protests. Journalist Hediyeh Kimiaei stated that while the Islamic Republic turns a blind eye to crimes and atrocities, it is pursuing opponents of mandatory hijab. In recent days, the sexual scandal involving Reza Saghati, the former director of the Islamic Culture and Guidance Office in Gilan, who was the founder of the 'Chastity and Hijab Workshop,' has made headlines. Although officials, including the Speaker and Deputy Speaker of Parliament, have questioned reports about the video of Saghati's sexual relationship with a man, Payman Behboudi, the whistleblower who released the video, claims to have a total of 13 videos of this official's multiple sexual relationships and stated that Saghati has had at least seven different sexual partners and has been in contact with them for years.