Welcome to the NCRI Women’s Committee podcast. In today’s episode, we dive into one of the most pressing issues of women in Iran—the Iranian regime’s retreat from enforcing its controversial new mandatory hijab bill. This is an issue that affects millions of lives and highlights both the resilience of Iranian women and the regime’s weakness.
The announcement of the enforcement of the law on November 27 created a strong backlash, a wave of protests, extensive graffiti on the walls, and operations by Resistance Units across the country in the name of “Women, Resistance, Freedom” to confront the regime’s repressive measure against women. Various sectors of society who held protests changed slogans demanding freedom of choice for women’s dress code.
This law, and now its temporary suspension by the regime’s Supreme National Security Council on December 14, highlight not only the regime’s struggles to maintain control but also the threats it faces from a volatile and extremely discontented society.
Let’s start with an overview. Can you tell us what this new mandatory hijab law entailed?
Certainly. The law, titled “Protecting Families Through Promoting the Culture of Chastity and Hijab,” was one of the most stringent measures proposed in recent years to crack down on the restless women of Iran. It sought to impose hefty penalties on women deemed to be in violation of the compulsory dress code, including fines, prison sentences, flogging, and even execution, as well as restrictions on their access to education and employment.
Beyond individuals, businesses, and companies that served or employed women without hijabs would also face severe consequences.
What made this law even more draconian was the regime’s plan to use surveillance technology, including access to private security cameras, to monitor women’s adherence to the dress code. It also encouraged ordinary citizens and even foreign nationals to act as informers, effectively turning communities into surveillance networks.
It sounds like an incredibly oppressive law. I heard an MP saying that they had spent 7,000 hours on drafting this piece of legislation. Nevertheless, the regime has now suspended its implementation. What prompted this retreat?
The regime’s decision to back down is rooted in fear—fear of public unrest and fear of losing its grip on power. Let’s not forget the nationwide protests triggered by Mahsa Amini’s tragic death in September 2022.
She was detained by the morality police for allegedly not wearing her hijab “properly,” and her death became a flashpoint for widespread dissent. The protests that followed exposed the regime’s vulnerability.
Given the country’s economic bankruptcy, the gas and electricity shortages during the winter’s cold, and the government’s inability to pay the wages and salaries of various sectors, the regime officials realized that pushing through an even harsher hijab law could reignite those protests, perhaps on an even larger scale. The Supreme National Security Council’s intervention to halt the law’s enforcement reflects this fear of escalating public outrage.
Let’s talk about the law’s broader implications. What would enforcing such a law have meant for Iranian society, particularly for women?
While the failure to wear a hijab is already punishable with fines and imprisonment under the existing Penal Code, the new law introduces more hefty fines and longer prison sentences of up to 15 years. It also allows for the possibility for judges to apply the death penalty under the offense of “corruption on earth.”
The requirements in this law will create a climate of fear and distrust among individuals and communities. In addition, the severe economic punishments are likely to disproportionately impact vulnerable populations and groups, including children, young persons, and social media users.
It will escalate violence against women and girls and further embed systematic and structural gender-based discrimination and segregation in Iranian society. The UN Human Rights experts said, “The new law constitutes a clear violation of fundamental human rights, legal norms and principles, including women’s rights to equality, freedom of expression, religion and belief, bodily autonomy, liberty, security and privacy.”
Let’s not forget that over the past two years, the regime has imposed tremendous pressure on women to observe the mandatory Hijab, which even led to the deaths of some women and girls. But all this pressure has led to the spread of the motto “woman, resistance, freedom” in practice among Iranian women.
My next question is how has the global community responded to this issue?
The global response has been one of outrage and solidarity with Iranian women. I just mentioned the statement by the UN Human Rights experts in Geneva.
Amnesty International also condemned the new Hijab law. Its regional director, Diana Eltahawy, said, “The international community must not stand idly by as Iranian authorities further codify repression and even resort to the death penalty to suppress dissent against compulsory veiling. They must use their leverage to press the Iranian authorities to withdraw this law and abolish compulsory veiling in law and practice. They must also pursue legal pathways to hold Iranian officials accountable for committing widespread and systematic human rights violations against women and girls through the implementation of compulsory veiling.”
Despite this international pressure, the regime seems to be doubling down on its authoritarian policies.
One thing we should realize is that the clerical regime is besieged by crises. The people of Iran are discontented and angry. Many don’t have jobs; those who do, they do not receive their salaries and wages. The country’s infrastructures and the natural environment have been destroyed. Air pollution as well as gas and electricity shortages are the current problems fueling public’s anger.
In such circumstances, the regime needs to clamp down on society more than ever. That explains the spiraling wave of executions and the need to implement the mandatory hijab law. However, this is a double-edge sword. Too much pressure can spark nationwide uprisings, and no pressure reveals the regime’s weakness especially after the fall of the Syrian dictator who was the regime’s closest ally.
The regime’s policies are creating a more embittered society, particularly among the younger generation. When you suppress freedoms and impose harsh measures, you generate resentment. This resentment doesn’t just disappear—it builds. The regime is essentially playing a dangerous game.
As we near the end of our discussion, let me ask you this: what should women do in the face of such repression?
Women are the driving force of change in Iran. For 45 years, they have not given in to the regime’s pressures, despite paying a heavy price. Iranian women are already at the forefront of all protests. From the streets to the prisons to the Resistance Units, they lead the fight for freedom and equality. They will not rest until this sacred goal is achieved. We say, no to the compulsory Hijab, no to compulsory religion, and no to compulsory governance. And that’s the guideline for all the women of Iran.
Thank you for sharing your insights. And thank you to our listeners for tuning in. That wraps up this episode.
For more information, visit our website: wncri.org, and let us know of your views. Hope to see you next time. Until then, we wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
