Skip to main content

Iranian women under pressure as Raisi stiffens hijab mandate 

The Iranian government is cracking down on hijab violations in what many say is a bid to divert attention from the nation’s economic hardships. 
ATTA KENARE/AFP via Getty Images

As the administration of Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi faces discontent over increasingly difficult economic  conditions, the government is ratcheting up agitprop around compulsory hijab, the Islamic dress code, in what many Iranians say is a bid to divert public attention from the nation’s day-to-day hardships. 

The government's efforts to enforce hijab rules are divisive in Iranian society with its outward-looking young population and liberal-minded middle class.

Access the Middle East news and analysis you can trust

Join our community of Middle East readers to experience all of Al-Monitor, including 24/7 news, analyses, memos, reports and newsletters.

Subscribe

Only $100 per year.