Head of Women's and Society Think Tank: Hijab Removal Increased from 'North Tehran' to 'Villages Across the Country'

The head of the 'Women's and Society Think Tank' acknowledged in a television program that the statistics on women's 'hair uncovering' have significantly increased. According to the Telegram channel 'Bamdad-e-No', Abolfazl Iqbali, the head of the think tank, claimed during the live broadcast that opposition to mandatory hijab in Iran has seen a 'noticeable increase' since August 2022. He also stated that the 'rate of hijab removal' has risen from '3 percent' in August 2022 to '20 percent' at one point, and now stands at '12 percent'. This figure, close to the Islamic Republic officials and a supporter of the 'Chastity and Hijab' bill, had previously claimed in another television program that only '6 million' women in Iran have reportedly 'removed their hijab'. Since the establishment of the Islamic Republic in February 1979, there have been numerous reports of widespread protests, either organized or scattered, against the enforcement of Sharia laws such as hijab. However, following the death of Mahsa Amini in the custody of the Islamic Republic's 'Guidance Patrol' and the emergence of nationwide protests, the wave of opposition to mandatory hijab intensified under the 'Mahsa Movement' with the slogan 'Women, Life, Freedom'. The head of the Women's and Society Think Tank further claimed that the announced statistics are based on research conducted on a 'national scale', covering a demographic from 'North Tehran' to 'villages across the country'. Over the past year, following the emergence of the 'Women, Life, Freedom' protest movement, more segments of society have openly opposed the mandatory dress code, facing heavy street repression, widespread arrests, and executions for pursuing this peaceful and civil demand. Nevertheless, various reports of civil disobedience by Iranian women in different cities continue to circulate through social media. The government's ongoing efforts to impose mandatory hijab include mandates for female employees in Qom province to wear chadors and be unadorned, the use of smart facial recognition cameras for repression, and disagreements among authorities over a law opposed by the public, with the judiciary stating that the government should not alter the text of the 'Chastity and Hijab' bill. Additionally, there are controversies surrounding a 'confidential' letter questioning how the public can believe the narrative surrounding Armita when lies are told, and the government is reportedly looking to dominate the clothing market under the code name 'Decent Cover'; the parliament has announced its tripartite plan.