The Ties That Bind: Women, the Hijab, and State Authority in Iran
- Amina Mehmood
- Feb 7
- 6 min read
Updated: 7 days ago
Writer: Amina Mehmood
To be noted:
This piece was produced by a student-led team. We are HS and pre-university students who have a keen interest in global affairs. While we are not professional analysts, our work is grounded in careful research, critical questioning, and collective insight. We don’t claim to have all the answers, but we aim to ask necessary questions and invite our peers across different backgrounds into deeper thinking. We welcome constructive feedback via email!
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Welcome to the second article of our mini-series, Women’s Rights Of Yesterday And Today. This series, written by Amina, explores the global rights of women, from how they dress to how control over their bodies is often placed in the hands of others.
Women's autonomy is a constant conflict between individual preference and governmental authority in many regions of the world. One of the most striking examples of this tension can be seen in Iran, where the mandatory hijab law has become a symbol of the broader debate over freedom and social obligation. Iranian law has required women to wear the headscarf in public since 1979, regardless of their personal preferences. This enforced conformity goes beyond fabric; it symbolizes a broader system of oppression where the government dictates how women should live, speak, and exist!
Meaning of Hijab: Hijab is an Arabic word that means barrier/partition. Islamically, there is a broader meaning. It is believed to be a principle of modesty and includes behaviour as well as the attire for males and females. The most visible form of hijab is a scarf that covers the head and neck that many women of different religions wear.
Photo by Javad Esmaeili on Unsplash
Pakistani travelers in Qom, Iran. This photo is not directly related to the article's topic.
Historical Timeline of Hijab Policies and Women's Rights in Iran
Pre-Revolution Era
In 1936, Reza Shah Pahlavi issued a mandate known as Kashf-e Hijab, banning all types of veils, including the hijab, as part of a broader modernization campaign. The police forcibly removed the hijabs of many women, sparking outrage in conservative communities. The Kashf-e Hijab policy was abolished five years later. However, for some time, wearing the hijab was associated with backwardness. Unveiled women were often seen as belonging to the educated and professional upper or middle class, while veiled women were perceived as coming from traditional religious backgrounds with little education [1].
Iranian Revolution and Mandatory Hijab
In 1979, Iran’s new government imposed a mandatory public dress code for all women, requiring them to wear the hijab. This law, implemented by Ayatollah Khomeini, the country's first Supreme Leader, mandates that women must cover their hair and wear loose-fitting clothing. An improper hijab is defined as exposing any part of the body below the neck and above the ankles. [2].
2005: The Morality Police
In 2005, the Iranian government reinforced the Gasht-e Ershad (Guidance Patrol), commonly known as the morality police. Their primary duty is to monitor public attire and behavior, ensuring compliance with the dress code. This includes inspecting women’s hijabs, stopping individuals in public for questioning, detaining those deemed non-compliant, issuing fines, and conducting so-called ‘re-education’ sessions. The morality police have become notorious for their aggressive enforcement tactics, often using verbal and physical abuse to maintain control [3].
2022: Protests and Growing Resistance
Over the years, the state’s strict enforcement of hijab laws has fueled growing resentment. However, the death of Mahsa Amini in 2022–after being detained by the morality police caused a widespread protest movement and brought international attention to the issue. Demonstrations erupted across Iran, highlighting broader demands for women's rights and greater personal freedoms [4].
Disclaimer: The text above provides a brief overview of the history of hijab policies in Iran. We encourage further research to gain a deeper understanding of the historical context and the ongoing struggles surrounding this issue.
Women in Iran and the Price of Noncompliance
In Iran, a woman’s right to exist in public spaces is dictated by a piece of fabric—the hijab. Without it, women are denied entry to government buildings, courtrooms, schools, and universities [5].
A woman without a hijab may also be refused access to buses, metros, and even flights. Employment, both in the public and private sectors, is off-limits. Women who disobey the hijab laws face escalating fines and penalties. A first offense can result in a fine between 6 and 24 million Iranian rials. A second offense increases the fine to 24–50 million rials, and repeated violations can lead to fines of up to 100 million rials. If a woman is caught multiple times, she may also face a travel ban of up to two years or even imprisonment. Foreigners who violate the dress code risk being denied residency or having their passports confiscated [6].
But the Iranian regime does not rely on fines alone. Advanced surveillance systems, including AI-driven facial recognition, track women both in public and private spaces. Authorities monitor online conversations, flag individuals for interrogation or arrest, and use automated technology to detect and remove any content deemed ‘non-compliant’ [7].
A Name That Became a Revolution: Mahsa Amini
Talking about Iran and the forced hijab would be incomplete without mentioning Mahsa Amini. An innocent young woman, who endured cruelty, all in the name of "God" and "proper clothing." Her life was stolen, not for a crime, but for a strand of hair out of place.
Mahsa Amini, 22 years old, was arrested in the streets of Tehran for allegedly wearing her headscarf improperly. She was beaten, dragged into custody, and sent to a so-called “reform” center, a place designed to break women into submission. But instead of reformation, Mahsa endured brutal violence. Within hours, she fell into a coma. Days later, she was dead [8].
Yet, instead of being silenced by fear, Iranian women took to the streets, risking everything to demand freedom. They burned their hijabs, cut their hair, and faced armed forces with nothing but their voices and will.
Faith or Force?
For many Muslim women, the hijab is a deeply personal expression of faith. But faith cannot be dictated, it must be chosen. Even women who voluntarily wear the hijab in Iran recognize that when the state enforces it, it stops being an act of devotion. Instead, it becomes a symbol of control.
Regardless of the era, the hijab in Iran has been more than just a dress code, it has been a tool of control. It tells a story of repression, not faith. Under the Pahlavi dynasty, veiling was banned in an attempt to impose Westernization, leading many women to wear the hijab in retaliation of forced modernity. Decades later, under the Islamic Republic, the situation reversed. Mandatory veiling became a symbol of state control, and removing it grew into an act of rebellion.
This cycle of repression and control over women's bodies raises an important question: Can faith ever flourish if it is imposed by force?
Notes From R&M:
The mandatory hijab law in Iran was meant to enforce cultural and religious values, but instead, it has created nationwide resistance and demands for personal freedom. After Mahsa Amini’s death, Iranian women risked detention, abuse, and even death by taking to the streets in protest.
The fight for personal freedom continues through movements like the White Wednesday campaign [9], where women wear white scarves and show support on social media.
Although reports suggest that the morality police have been discontinued, enforcement of dress codes and restrictions on women’s freedoms remain in place through other means. [10]
