Iranian Pharmacies Face Legal Action for Hijab Non-Compliance

Iran’s health ministry's food and drug administration has announced that if pharmacies fail to enforce mandatory hijab the government will reduce their allocation of medications.

Non-compliant pharmacies risk facing legal consequences, as stated by Heidar Mohammadi during a briefing at the Presidential Communications Center on Monday. However it is not clear if the official was referring to violations by pharmacy staff or customers.

Mohammadi emphasized that the organization was among the pioneers in enforcing the mandatory hijab, leading to the implementation of specific dress code regulations within pharmacies. Describing non-compliance as a "deviation," he noted that "compliance with norms" is crucial for pharmacies to maintain their quota allocations.

“If a pharmacy fails to adhere to the norms, it will initially receive a warning. Should the warning prove ineffective, more severe deterrent measures will be executed. Continuous non-compliance will lead to legal actions against the violators,” Mohammadi added.

The food and drug administration of Iran, which oversees the policies and guidelines for a wide range of products including drugs, food, and medical devices, introduced hijab mandates for female pharmacy staff in August 2021. The mandates, which were reinforced in February 2023, require all female employees to wear a black veils among other dress code rules.

In the wake of the 2022 Woman, Life, Freedom protests triggered by the death of Mahsa Amini in police custody, several pharmacies were sealed across various Iranian cities for failing to comply with the regulations.

The protests highlighted widespread discontent with mandatory hijab laws among other issues related to women's rights in the country.