Reactions to the Government's Push for a 'War Against Women': This Campaign Shows the Weakness of the Islamic Republic

As the presence of government forces in the streets of Iran has sharply increased and reports of growing violations of individual and social freedoms of citizens have emerged, the hashtag 'War Against Women' has gone viral on social media. Users have deemed this action a 'campaign' against half of Iran's population, which instead of demonstrating 'power,' reflects the 'weakness' of the Islamic Republic. Reports received by VOA and published on social media on Wednesday, April 29, indicate that the presence of police forces, guidance patrols, and plainclothes agents in various cities of Iran continues to confront voluntary dress codes under the title 'Noor Plan,' and in some cases has led to clashes. According to a video report, a woman suffered a nervous breakdown after being attacked by suppressive forces against voluntary dress in front of the Tajrish metro station in northern Tehran. Citizen reports indicate that this woman was transferred to the hospital, and police forces detained several citizens who were filming the incident. Sara Emtaali, an educational researcher, compared the image of a young woman who suffered a nervous breakdown due to the encounter with government forces to an image of Neda Agha-Soltan, a protester killed during the 2009 protests, and wrote using the hashtag 'War Against Women': 'The Islamic Republic yesterday, the Islamic Republic today.' Samira Rahi, a journalist, also wrote on social media that on the morning of Wednesday, a 12-year-old girl was arrested by guidance patrol agents in Azimieh, Alborz province. She emphasized that 'the Islamic Republic's war against women has reached children,' adding that 'agents did not allow the mother to be in the guidance patrol van with her daughter and took her alone.' Atena Daemi, a human rights activist, stated that the Islamic Republic's goal of the 'war against women' is 'to eliminate them from the public sphere' and said: 'However, the history of women's struggles in Iran and the world carries this important message that women do not go backward and insist on their rights.' She also emphasized: 'The campaign against women reveals not power, but the weakness of the Islamic Republic!' Mahtab Ghorbani, a human rights activist, also emphasized that 'the war against women has been ongoing for 45 years,' referring to the self-immolation of Homa Darabi in 1993 in protest against compulsory hijab. She also reminded with a photo of herself that 'eight years ago' her head was 'broken for not adhering to compulsory hijab' and was subsequently convicted by 'Judge Moghiseh.' Mahtab Ghorbani also stated that the issue of women is 'the Achilles' heel of the Islamic Republic,' referring to the killing of Mahsa (Zhina) Amini in the custody of the guidance patrol, which led to widespread nationwide protests in 2022. Arash Hampei, a civil activist, also shared a historical image of women's protests against anti-women policies holding a banner 'Women's Freedom, Society's Freedom,' stating that 'the Islamic Republic will lose the war against women.' On Tuesday, the account 'Mamalekeh,' which follows news and developments in Iran, reported on various social media platforms citing an eyewitness about the death of a citizen in the Vaziri detention center in Tehran. According to the eyewitness, individuals who appeared to be the family of the deceased were crying and saying, 'They killed our child.' Following the publication of this report, the police confirmed the death of a citizen in custody but claimed that those arrested related to hijab are not transferred to the Vaziri detention center and that 'the deceased was a theft suspect who died from taking pills.' The IRNA news agency also claimed that the deceased was from 'thugs and hoodlums' and died while 'resting in detention.' Following these reports, some users on social media have published the name and photo of a young woman as the deceased in the Vaziri detention center. However, it was not possible for VOA to verify her identity. Images and videos published on social media show the significant presence of special forces, police, and government plainclothes agents in cities. The Telegram channel 'Iranian Retirees Council' published an image of the density of special forces at Tehran's City Theater, stating: 'This is not the battlefield of Iran and Israel. This is Tehran's City Theater, and all these forces have been sent to declare war against women.' The deployment of these forces, although under the title 'Noor Plan' for controlling women's dress and enforcing compulsory hijab, coincides with speculations about the possibility of internal protests following Israel's response to the Islamic Republic's airstrike on this country. Hamid Mohammadi, a journalist, wrote in this regard: 'More than 300 missiles and drones have been launched at Israel; Putin did not become a ground soldier; their strength only reaches defenseless women in the streets.' According to him, the officials of the Islamic Republic 'unleash their military impotence and humiliations on the people; they are afraid protests will start and have preemptively gone to suppress.' The closure of Tehran's oldest pizzeria under the pretext of violating compulsory hijab has also been reported. The pizzeria 'Davood' announced on its social media account that this closure was ordered by the judiciary 'due to hijab.' A student revealed: 'Be quiet until you get your degree.' Concurrently with the pressures on women in public spaces to enforce compulsory hijab, citizen reports indicate that the intelligence and judicial authorities of the Islamic Republic have also increased pressure on women. Motahareh Gohani, a dental student who was suspended and exiled from university during the nationwide protests of 2022, announced that she was summoned by an intelligence agency for 9 AM on Wednesday, April 29, and about this session said: 'It was not an interrogation session. It was a deal. Be quiet until you get your degree and they don’t create a case against you. We want to help you, and eventually, the government will change, and maybe you will go to the Ministry of Health.' Motahareh Gohani emphasized: 'My answer was one word: No!' Meanwhile, Taghi Azadarmaki, a sociologist, told the website 'Rooidad24': 'Our society has passed through the political system and has self-controlled.' According to him, 'When the hijab control force comes to the streets, society feels it is facing a foreign force,' and 'the cultural gap between society and the government in Iran has become so wide and vast that society no longer pays attention to the government's view and will in essential issues and acts according to its own judgment.' Excessive violence of agents in the new round of confrontation with the people to impose compulsory hijab. Dina Qalibaf was arrested after sharing her personal account of 'sexual assault' by 'murder patrol.' The Islamic Azad University directive; prevent 'disorderly conduct in appearance' from entering the university. Violation of women's dress freedom with the return of 'murder patrol'; a journalist's account of 'sexual assault' in custody. Continuation of the Islamic Republic's 'illegal' actions; missile strikes abroad, harassment of women inside the country.