The announcement of a 7,000-strong undercover morality police force in Tehran has been met with wide domestic criticism. Tehran’s police chief, Hossein Sajedinia, defended the decision and attempted to downplay fears that the force would focus on reporting poorly veiled women.
“Creating calm and security in the country, especially in Tehran, is what the people expect from the police,” Sajedinia said April 21. He added that “moral security” is not only concerned with women’s veiling but also other social harms such as drug abuse, theft, drug smuggling and gangs of violent criminals.
