Reuters: The Islamic Republic's Goal in Dealing with Opponents of Mandatory Hijab is to Prevent Any Wider Opposition

Reuters reported on recent actions against opponents of mandatory hijab in Iran, stating that on the same day the Islamic Republic attacked Israel, it ordered police in several cities to arrest women who do not comply with the government's strict hijab laws. Iranian officials insist that this action is in response to citizens' demands who are angered by the increasing number of girls and women opposing the mandatory hijab. However, civil activists and a group of politicians believe the goal is to prevent any broader opposition at this dangerous moment. Reuters noted that the protests in 2022 against the death of Mahsa Amini in the custody of the morality police are considered the largest political unrest since the Islamic Revolution of 1979. The news agency pointed out that on the same day as the missile and drone attack on Israel by the Islamic Republic, Abbasali Mohammadian, the commander of the Greater Tehran Police, stated on state television that police would take action against opponents of the mandatory hijab in Tehran and other cities. In this context, social media users shared images of violent encounters with the Islamic Republic's police, including images of plainclothes security forces dragging young women into police vans. The actions of the police and plainclothes agents quickly faced public discontent, and some politicians criticized it as a sign of a deep rift between the government and society. According to Reuters, Azar Mansouri, a reformist politician, wrote on the social media platform X: 'At a time when national solidarity is more necessary than ever, the same ugly scenes are being repeated with more intensity and violence against the women and girls of Iran! What kind of strategy is this?' A human rights activist in Tehran, who wished to remain anonymous, told Reuters: 'It is not a coincidence that on the day of the attack on Israel, the police flooded the streets. They are worried about renewed unrest.' According to this report, the prospect of war with Israel has deeply concerned ordinary Iranians, who are grappling with various problems, from economic pressure to intensified social and political controls. A former political official told Reuters that the clerical rulers have increased their pressure on those seeking political and social changes because they are worried about public attention to these views amid external threats. A former parliament member also told the news agency that repression is not limited to women, stating, 'In recent days, we have witnessed open repression of any signs of dissent.'