An order by Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi to enforce the country’s hijab and chastity law has resulted in a new list of restrictions on how women can dress.
As part of a crackdown on what the government calls “improper hijab,” Iran’s Bank Mellat, which has more than 1,400 branches in Iran, has issued a directive prohibiting female employees from wearing high-heel shoes and stockings. It also forbids its male managers from having women as administrative assistants.
The July 5 directive also forces veiled women to use a head scarf that, in addition to covering hair, must cover the neck and shoulders.
Also on July 5, a letter was published by the Mashhad city prosecutor’s office that asked the mayor to prevent women who wear “improper hijab” from using the subway. The mayor said that despite the “lack of any legal support” for the directive, a judicial order should be made so it can be implemented.
In response to the government’s increasing pressure, several social-network activists have promoted a campaign for women to come to the streets in Iranian cities without a hijab on July 12.
The hijab became compulsory in public for Iranian women and girls over the age of 9 after the 1979 Islamic Revolution.
Many Iranian women have flouted the rule over the years and pushed the boundaries of what officials say is acceptable clothing.
Source » rferl