Prediction by a Member of Parliament: The Hijab Law Will Be Implemented from October

A member of the Islamic Consultative Assembly and a member of the Supreme Cultural Revolution Council stated that this bill will be "implemented" in October of this year after approval. According to the state news agency IRNA, Amir Hossein Bankipour, head of the Family and Youth Population Support Law Commission in the Islamic Consultative Assembly, claimed on Saturday evening, September 4, that "99 percent" of the provisions of the Hijab and Chastity bill are "not gendered" and predicted that the law known as Chastity and Hijab will be implemented from "October of this year." Following widespread anti-government protests last year in Iran, which began after the death of Mahsa Amini in the custody of the morality police, opposition to certain laws such as mandatory hijab became more pronounced. In response, the Islamic Republic's institutions intensified their crackdown and imposed political-social restrictions, especially against girls and women. One of the most significant actions taken by the Iranian government after the formation of the "Mahsa Movement" to contain increasing civil protests and opposition to women's right to choose their attire was the drafting of the "Chastity and Hijab" bill, presenting it to the parliament, and placing it on the path of "Article 85 approval" and outside the public session. Additionally, Haadi Tahan-Nazif, spokesperson for the Guardian Council, rejected any receipt of the "Chastity and Hijab" bill from the parliament during a press conference with some representatives of domestic media on Saturday, September 4. He also stated regarding the latest status of this controversial bill that "it seems that the review of this bill has not yet been completed in the specialized commission." Even some former security officials of the government, such as Ali Rabiei, former deputy of the Ministry of Intelligence of the Islamic Republic, have warned against the potential implementation of this law, considering it a cause for bringing "conflict and strife" to the school level. In this regard, attorney Tanaz Kolahchian also told the Persian section of Voice of America that even members of the Islamic Consultative Assembly preferred not to have their signatures on the Hijab and Chastity bill.