The International Women’s Day was honored in an inverse manner by Friday prayer leaders across Iran who reiterated the regime’s reliance on imposing the compulsory veil on women to preserve their rule.
Kazem Sedighi, the Friday prayer leader of Tehran, pointed out, “Hijab (the compulsory veil) is a sign of cultural independence and religious originality… The people of Iran will never succumb to imposition of mal-veiling and unveiling.” (The state-run Mehr news agency – March 9, 2018)
Ahmad Alam-ol Hoda, the Friday prayer leader of Mashhad, reiterated, “The issue of Hijab is not some ordinary thing like other obligations. Not wearing the Hijab is not an ordinary vice. Hijab is a central issue and a source of identity. Not wearing the veil is a fight against our social identity. This is why the enemy tries to promote not wearing the veil so that it could realize its war on our society. It might seem childish when an abnormal, indecent girl takes off her veil and puts it on a stick at an intersection or in a square, but in fact she has been recruited according to a plan. She is a soldier of the enemy’s soft war on our identity.” (The state-run Fararu website – March 9, 2018)
Mohammad Ali Jazayeri, Friday prayer leader of Ahwaz, said, “Today, if we back down on the issue of Hijab, tomorrow they would raise the issue of wine (alcoholic beverages) and other things.”
