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

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.