Two More Bookstores Closed In Tehran For Failing To Enforce Hijab

Amid crackdown on businesses and cultural establishments due to women not adhering to the mandatory hijab, two more bookstores in Tehran faced closure on Saturday.

Ketab-e Dey and Ketab-e Khaneh announced on their Instagram page that they would be closed "until further notice." When questioned by users about the reason for the closure, the management confirmed, "We were sealed [shut down by the regime]”.

While the store managers refrained from providing detailed explanations, reports suggest the shutdown of the bookstores is part of an ongoing effort to enforce hijab rules in Tehran and other Iranian cities.

Meanwhile, the Qom Prosecutor's Office reported the closure of a cinema in the religious city, alleging "indecent advertising related to the screening of a foreign film." They claimed that the film's horror genre and introduction of supernatural elements were somehow linked to "Satanism."

While the protest movement in Iran over the past year, sparked by the tragic death of Mahsa Amini while in custody, didn't lead to the overthrow of the regime, it did manage to significantly challenge one of its core principles, mandatory hijab.

As women increasingly defy the mandatory headscarf and venture out, the regime intensifies its efforts to suppress social activities, punishing the population as it faces challenges in enforcing hijab rules amid growing public resistance.

In recent months, numerous shops, restaurants, cafes and malls where Iranian women continue to disregard the regime's mandatory hijab have been shut down across Iran, with many women arrested in the process.

This month, new laws were passed to introduce even harsher punishments for failure to comply with hijab laws.