Iran’s Escalating Hijab Crackdown Amid ‘Nour Project’ Rollout
Iran has intensified its crackdown on hijab restrictions, sparking backlash and concern among opposition and human rights groups.
The Nour Project
The recent crackdown follows the introduction of the ‘Nour Project,’ which aims to address anomalies and has resulted in the deployment of morality police in various cities. These police forces are tasked with promoting positive behaviors while avoiding negative actions, yet reports from the ground indicate incidents of sexual harassment, beatings, and tasering.
Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei emphasized the importance of wearing the hijab, stating that maintaining it is crucial as the enemy seeks to regress the country to a pre-revolutionary era. He alleged that foreigners hired women to violate societal rules by appearing without hijab.
Victims Speak Out
Dina Ghalibaf, a journalist and student at Tehran’s Beheshti University, was arrested from her home after posting about morality police actions. She highlighted the increased patrols enforcing mandatory hijab laws amid tensions with Israel, as emphasized by Ali Khamenei’s speech on April 4.
Iranian journalist and activist Masih Alinejad reported a distressing incident where a woman faced assault and hospitalization due to a confrontation with morality police over hijab enforcement in Tajrish, Tehran. Despite such incidents, Iranian women remain determined to resist the oppressive regime’s enforcement of hijab laws.
Reports indicate the deployment of plainclothes officers to prevent interference during arrests, but Iranian women persist in pushing back against the regime’s efforts to enforce hijab laws.