'Have Many Reservations About It': Iranian President Pezeshkian On Controversial Hijab Law

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has raised concerns over proposed legislation introducing stricter penalties for women who flout mandatory hijab regulations.

Women in Iran have been mandated to cover their hair in public since the 1979 Islamic Revolution.

However, an increasing number of women have been seen without hijabs in the Islamic country, a trend that gained momentum after protests erupted over Mahsa Amini's death in custody in September 2022.

She was arrested for allegedly violating the dress code.

The Iranian parliament has passed the "hijab and chastity" law, which will only come into force if signed by the President on 13 December.

"As the person responsible for promulgating this law, I have many reservations about it," Pezeshkian told state television late Monday (2 December), AFP reported.

Although the law’s full text remains unpublished, Iranian media suggests it includes fines up to 20 months' average salary for women improperly wearing or entirely forgoing the hijab in public or on social media.

The legislation reportedly mandates violators to pay fines within 10 days or face penalties, including travel bans and restrictions on accessing public services like driving licences.

"We risk ruining a lot of things in society because of this law," the Iranian President said, adding that leaders must avoid actions that could alienate the public.

The morality police, responsible for arresting Amini before the protests, have largely disappeared from public spaces, though the unit has not been officially abolished.

Pezeshkian, who became President in July after campaigning to remove the morality police, has yet to announce whether he will sign the law.

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