A former conservative presidential candidate has said that Iranians' appearance, especially veiling by women, represents their views toward the government. He called for less police confrontation and further study of the possible causes of the dress issue, such as poor economic conditions.
“During the monarchy, if a youth wanted to fight against the government, with the flag of Islam raised, he would change his appearance,” said Expediency Council member and former parliament speaker Ali Akbar Nategh Nouri at a clergy meeting in Khuzestan province. He described the fashion during the early years of the Iranian revolution as, “Boys would wear T-shirts that had a cleric’s collar, with a beard, and the girls would also go to public places such as universities with a complete veil or chador.”