Mehdi Chamran Responds to Hiring of 'Hijab Guards' by Municipality: It's Not Enough, Police Must Be Involved

A few days after the news of Tehran Municipality's decision to hire '400 security forces' as 'hijab guards' was published, Mehdi Chamran, the head of Tehran City Council, stated that the council had not been consulted on this matter. In response to this news, Chamran emphasized that 'if the streets are fixed, the metro will also be fixed,' adding, 'Unless there is police presence, placing these individuals in the metro will not yield results, unless the police are also present.' On Sunday, an online newspaper in Iran reported that Tehran Municipality plans to employ '400 security forces' as 'hijab guards' with a monthly salary of '12 million tomans' in the metro. According to the online newspaper 'Faraz,' these forces are 'trained' and hired by the 'City Supporters Company of Tehran Municipality.' An informed source told 'Faraz' that these 400 'hijab guards' are expected to prevent women without mandatory hijab from entering the metro cars and to hand them over to the police, receiving a monthly salary of 12 million tomans along with 'hardship benefits.' The 12 million toman salary for those enforcing mandatory hijab comes at a time when, according to the Supreme Labor Council's resolution for the year 1402, the minimum monthly wage for workers is less than 5 million and 310 thousand tomans. This figure is around 8 million tomans for workers subject to labor law, married, and with children. Meanwhile, the wages paid to workers and other wage earners not covered by labor law are less than the Supreme Labor Council's resolution. According to this report, 'hijab guards' can only give 'verbal warnings' and prevent violators of the mandatory hijab from entering the metro, and 'in case of resistance,' they can introduce women to the police. The report also stated that 'hijab guards' will be 'suspended from service' if they engage in altercations with citizens. Previously, on August 4, the head of the judiciary in Isfahan Province announced that a 'training course for 150 to 200 individuals' for 'commanders of good and forbidders of evil' would be held by the 'Prevention Department of the Judiciary' in collaboration with other organizations. The Islamic Consultative Assembly announced on Sunday that a number of representatives have proposed that the 'Chastity and Hijab' bill be approved in a joint commission and sent directly to the Guardian Council without voting in the assembly. Reports indicate that this decision was made in a closed session of the 'Revolutionary Faction.' Sociologist Shahla Shafigh previously told VOA that the Islamic Republic's laws regarding mandatory hijab do not affect the will of the people, and men can also stand alongside women in opposing it.