Iran's Interior Minister Calls for Dismissal of Employees Ignoring Mandatory Hijab

In continuation of the Islamic Republic's punitive measures against opponents of the mandatory hijab, Ahmad Vahidi called for the dismissal of employees who disregard 'hijab warnings' at work. The Interior Minister emphasized adherence to the mandatory hijab in spaces belonging to government offices during a meeting on 'Chastity and Hijab' with provincial managers and security officials of executive bodies. Vahidi threatened government employees that they would be fired if they ignored the mandatory hijab warnings. The final version of the bill related to the mandatory hijab, known as the 'Bill for the Support of Chastity and Hijab Culture,' also includes penalties for employees opposed to the mandatory hijab, such as a salary deduction of up to one-third. In recent days, several senior officials of the Islamic Republic of Iran, including heads of the government and judiciary, have called for stricter measures against women's optional dress. While government officials have intensified efforts to confront opponents of the mandatory hijab, the dissemination of images of unveiled women on social media indicates the Islamic Republic's failure in this regard. Farough Kani, a social researcher, recently stated in an interview with VOA that the Iranian government's focus on the hijab issue is aimed at 'making people forget their desire for regime change.' Anahita Nemat published a photo without a hijab on 'Chastity and Hijab Day,' and Afsaneh Bayegan also withdrew from acting. Officials of the Islamic Republic emphasize the need to combat 'unveiling'; 'agents' should act directly. Several protesters against the hijab situation were detained for a few hours in front of the judiciary. The continuation of 'closure therapy' in Iran under the pretext of 'hijab'; a lawyer stated: it has neither jurisprudential support nor legal basis.