Iran’s Supreme National Security Council has halted the implementation of the controversial headscarf law, according to Parliament Speaker Mohammad Ghalibaf, speaking to news portal Entekhab.
Though the law was approved by parliament last year, the Security Council, as the top authority on security issues, has the power to overrule ratified laws.
The law, passed last year, aimed to impose fines on women who do not comply with the headscarf requirement, alongside denying them public services and mandating prison sentences for repeat offences. It was set to be enforced in December but faced widespread protests both domestically and internationally, which delayed its implementation. The government recently vetoed the law and announced forthcoming amendments.
Masoud Pezeshkian, the president known for his moderate conservative stance, is among the law’s critics. He warns the law’s enforcement could spark fresh unrest in the country. Conversely, hardliners in Parliament argue that a headscarf mandate is essential to preserve the country’s Islamic values and prevent a “Western cultural invasion.”
Islamic regulations in Iran require women to wear a long coat and a headscarf to conceal their body shape. In major cities, many women, protesting the strict guidelines, defy these rules. The protest movement intensified following the “Women, Life, Freedom” marches, which began in September 2022 after the death of young Kurdish woman Mahsa Amini in police custody, reportedly due to improper wearing of her headscarf.
