Clerics' Appeal to Iranian Myths to Justify Mandatory Hijab; Alimohammadi: Hijab is Reflected in Ferdowsi's Shahnameh

Ahmad Alimohammadi, representative of Ali Khamenei in Mashhad, stated on Friday, May 3, that hijab belongs to Iranian culture, saying, "Hijab has been a culture of ancient Iran, and its reflection can be seen in the Shahnameh of Hakim Abolqasem Ferdowsi." The father of Ebrahim Raisi's wife then cited a line from the Shahnameh attributed to Manijeh as a symbol of an educated Iranian woman, adding: "I am Manijeh, daughter of Afrasiab, my body has not seen the sun naked." These remarks by Alimohammadi faced widespread reactions from media and social media users. The website 'Asr Iran' wrote in this context: "The extent to which referencing Manijeh in the Shahnameh aligns with the goal of promoting hijab and chastity is left to Shahnameh scholars, but for now, we remind Mr. Alimohammadi that this Shahnameh you are citing today to prove that hijab is one of the cultural manifestations of Iranians is the same Shahnameh that its murals in the city where you were the Friday prayer leader were painted over at night, and you said nothing." This reference by the website close to conservatives pertains to a news item from Spring 2011, which announced that the 'Astan Quds Razavi' completely erased a mural in Mashhad depicting Ferdowsi's Shahnameh, which was considered "the tallest mural in Iran." The reactions of social media users to the remarks of the Imam Jomeh of Mashhad were mainly focused on the points that Manijeh was not only not Iranian but also a princess of Turan and the daughter of Afrasiab, a great enemy of Iran, and had secret relations with Bijan, an Iranian hero. One user even wrote: "Ahmad Alimohammadi probably has not even seen the Shahnameh up close." Despite the efforts of law enforcement and other government agencies to suppress voluntary dress, the civil resistance of Iranian women continues. The Islamic Republic's alignment to enforce mandatory hijab; Tajzadeh: It is by Khamenei's order or approval. The confrontation of two harassers with a woman due to voluntary dress. Midpoint's report on the increase in the repression of journalists in Iran: pressure has increased in the provinces. Officials are engaged in the 'concern' of hijab; Radan thanked Raisi, Saeedi thanked Radan. America: Ali Khamenei is certainly responsible for the actions of the Iranian government.