Return of 'Guidance Patrol'; A Sociologist: Iranian Society Has Passed the 'Hijab Passage'

Simultaneously with the announcement by law enforcement officials regarding the return of the 'Guidance Patrol' to the streets to 'combat unveiled women', a sociologist states: 'Iranian society has passed the hijab passage and will not return to it.' Taghi Azad Armaki, in an interview with 'Etemad Online', criticized the return of the Guidance Patrol to the streets and police threats, saying, 'I do not understand why officials use the same methods that have never been effective when dealing with an issue related to public culture, public modesty, and hijab.' He emphasized that 'Iranian society has passed the hijab passage and will not return to it,' adding: 'If previous violence regarding the Guidance Patrol was one-sided, today society is at risk of experiencing mutual violence, and if in the past the negative approaches related to the Guidance Patrol were associated with the police, today a situation has emerged where multidimensional violence is also likely.' Reza Rashidpour, a former Iranian television host, also reacted to the return of the Guidance Patrol to the streets in a tweet, responding to Abdullah Ganji's statements in November 2022, writing: 'How many new vans does Mr. Ganji have? How many of their motorcycles are operational?' Abdullah Ganji, the editor-in-chief of Hamshahri newspaper, had said in a student gathering on November 7, 2022, 'I am a person who has never lied in my life; in Tehran, the Guidance Patrol has 5 cars, 2 of which are broken.' In recent days, following the official announcement by law enforcement regarding the deployment of the Guidance Patrol to confront opponents of mandatory hijab, the interactions between officers and women have intensified compared to previous months, and according to images published on social media, clashes have occurred between officers and the public. The U.S. Special Envoy for Iran also expressed concern in a tweet regarding reports of the 'renewed repression' of women in Iran by the 'so-called moral security police' to enforce mandatory hijab regulations, stating: 'It seems the regime has learned nothing from the protests. Women and girls everywhere should be allowed to wear whatever they want.' On the other hand, Nouri Hamadani, a Shia cleric, stated: 'Promoting unveiled women is one of the manifestations contrary to Islam, and dealing with it should start from the body of the government and the administrative system of the country.' Bahadori Jahromi, the spokesperson for the thirteenth government, also emphasized that the government's approach and view regarding hijab has been clear, stating: 'From the beginning of this government, it has been emphasized that all laws, including those regarding hijab and modesty, must be observed in government centers. Hijab is a religious and political obligation and has been a tradition and custom of Iranians for many years.'