People's Concerns: Power and Water Shortages; Islamic Republic's Concern: Women's Dress Code

Amidst rampant inflation in Iran and the lack of high-speed, unfiltered internet in the country, coinciding with several days of water outages in the capital and electricity cuts in many parts of Iran, the Islamic Consultative Assembly approved the 'Hijab and Chastity' bill with urgency. While some members of parliament aimed to review the bill with a 'double urgency' for quicker approval, Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, the Speaker of the Parliament, stated on Tuesday, June 13, that 'the reason we voted for the urgency of the Hijab and Chastity bill was to have time to draft a comprehensive bill that covers various aspects and serves as a proud document to prevent moral laxity.' He asserted that 'there is no doubt that the issue of the Hijab and Chastity bill is one of the top priorities of our society today' and added, 'We in the parliament are determined to prepare this proud document with the help of all the elites in universities, seminaries, and all the well-wishers of the system.' However, some so-called 'revolutionary' representatives opposed this plan, arguing that it lacks effectiveness and that the proposal should be modified to allow for a more serious crackdown on 'improperly veiled women' while also empowering the IRGC and Basij to confront them. Simultaneously, the Ministry of Interior issued a directive to municipalities across the country, instructing them to independently intervene in places such as subways, amusement parks, and other public areas, and to combat women who refuse to comply with mandatory hijab laws with the assistance of the Basij and police forces. The HRANA news agency also reported on Tuesday that the 24th floor of the Chamran Hotel in Shiraz was sealed off due to what was described as 'norm-breaking and the entry of individuals with inappropriate attire.' On the other hand, the conservative newspaper Quds warned women and girls without hijabs, stating: 'Soon you will lose your husbands, fathers, and sons.' The newspaper added: 'In our cultural fabric, modest attire is a license for active and vibrant social presence, and its absence gradually undermines social trust, leading many women who may currently welcome this behavior to eventually realize they are losing their husbands, fathers, and sons.' The Jam Jam newspaper, affiliated with state media, also criticized hijab bloggers, deeming them a plague for the religious and veiled segment of society. This newspaper criticized hijab bloggers, stating: 'They are seeking to promote fashion hijab, and the professional style advertised by hijab bloggers has managed to change the taste of some veiled and religious individuals, encouraging them to opt for long and covered manteaus instead of chadors.' On Tuesday, Nazila Maroufian, a journalist from Saqqez who had previously been imprisoned for interviewing Mahsa Amini's family, reported on Twitter about 'verbal harassment' from police forces. In her tweet, along with a photo of herself without mandatory hijab, she wrote: 'A special forces officer at the City Theater criticized my attire and compared it to that of prostitutes, which left me angry and helpless.' Civil activist Pouria Astarki also commented on the urgent approval of the 'Hijab and Chastity' law in parliament on his Twitter, stating: 'It's true there is no water, the clocks are messed up, the internet is destroyed, but the country's vital priorities are being addressed.' The parliament is reviewing the 'Hijab and Chastity' bill with urgency; Zahra Rahnavard: 'It is disgusting to resist a woman against an abuser and defender of mandatory hijab in a treatment center.' Ali Mirchi: 'Bad governance has destroyed Iran's wetlands and groundwater resources.' The Tehran Prosecutor's Office has filed charges against actress Shaghayegh Dehghan. A 'detention order' has been issued for Azadeh Samadi and Leila Bolukat due to their opposition to mandatory hijab. The presence of women without headscarves in the Ministry of Interior hall; 'Abolish the mandatory hijab law.' Experts' warnings went unanswered; water shortages and outages reached the capital. The summer water supply crisis; on Sunday, water was cut off for hours in Tehran and Mashhad. The electricity supply issue in Iran: electricity was cut off for three ministries. At least seven people died in floods in Iran; rain and showers continue. The economic policies of the Islamic Republic are a factor in capital flight and the relocation of some factories.