Iran Sees Mixed Hijab Enforcement: Relaxed in Some Cities, Strict in Others Amid War and Protests

Enforcement of Iran's mandatory hijab rule has slackened in parts of Tehran and other cities as of April 26, 2026, with women increasingly appearing without headscarves in public spaces. State television has broadcast images of Iranian women not wearing hijab, provided they express support for the Islamic republic and denounce its enemies.

Al-Monitor reported that this shift follows widespread resistance, though authorities maintain restrictions in various sectors.

In Mashhad, rules on hijab observance were stricter before the 12-day war against Israel, when women were not allowed entry to places without hijab. Now, as of April 26, 2026, people are permitted entry without it, according to Mahsa, a 32-year-old student in the city. However, she noted that changes in Mashhad have not matched the level seen in Tehran over the past three years.

Farnaz, 41, from Isfahan, has been summoned to appear in court over hijab observance later in April 2026. In Isfahan, authorities have started sealing cafes again over hijab issues in the past few days as of April 26, 2026. Maryam, 35, from Isfahan, said that in some banks and shops, women without hijab are not served, and shopworkers must wear it.

Amnesty International stated this month that widespread resistance to the obligatory hijab forced authorities to retreat from the violent mass arrests and assaults of previous years. However, authorities continued to use existing laws and regulations to enforce compulsory veiling in workplaces, universities, and other public sector institutions.

Women and girls who resisted compulsory veiling faced harassment, assault, arbitrary arrest, fines, and expulsion from employment and education, according to Amnesty International.

The trend of relaxed enforcement began following the 2022-2023 protests sparked by the death in custody of Mahsa Amini, who had been arrested in Tehran for allegedly ignoring the dress code. The crackdown on those protests killed hundreds of people, according to rights groups. Wearing the headscarf in public has been mandatory for women in Iran since shortly after the Islamic Revolution of 1979.

Subsequent events included January 2025 protests in Iran sparked by the cost of living, after which authorities arrested tens of thousands of people, according to rights groups. Iran engaged in a 12-day war with Israel in June 2025. And Israel that is on hold with a ceasefire as of April 26, 2026.

During the current war, authorities arrested thousands more people, including women, according to rights groups. Al-Monitor reported that the situation remains mixed, with hijab wearing still a matter of choice for some women in liberal areas of Tehran, where it is not uncommon to see women with and without headscarves walking together.

"It is not at all a sign of any change in the government in my opinion. Because no achievement has been made regarding women's rights," said Elnaz, a 32-year-old painter in Tehran. "I'm happy for all of them, because until just three years ago this was only a dream," said Zahra, 57, a housewife from Isfahan.

She also stated, "We paid a very high price to get here," referring to the deaths during the Mahsa Amini protests, and added, "Right now, they (the authorities) are just distracted by the war. " "Beautiful photos of cafes and girls are being shared everywhere, but as cafe owners, we've been paying a lot for that," said Negin, 34, who owns a cafe in Tehran.

"We've been treated very harshly over these years, continuing until this day.

We've been shut down multiple times, fined and had to pay bribes... " "More women are putting their fear aside each day and trying out what it's like to go out without hijab, and it's gradually becoming more widespread," said Shahrzad, 39, a Tehran housewife. "But I don't see any change in the government system.

They didn't even wait for the situation with the war to be clarified," said Farnaz, 41, from Isfahan. "Here, you're dealing both with the government and with people.

Like before in some neighbourhoods, religious people sometimes warn you and harass you. " "If you are involved in social or economic activity, you are expected to observe hijab," said Maryam, 35, from Isfahan. Al-Monitor reported that there is little sign of the white patrol vans of the morality police that used to enforce the rules, but women can still be summoned by authorities, and cafes shut down for failing to enforce the rule, while veiling is required to enter banks, educational establishments, and official buildings.