Khamenei's man urges stricter hijab enforcement as Pezeshkian prepares to take office

A representative of Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei on Friday called for stricter measures against “improper” hijab and dog walking, as the country's new president prepares to take office.

The remarks come ahead of the inauguration of President-elect Masoud Pezeshkian which is slated for July 28.

Yousef Tabatabaie Nejad, the representative of Khamenei in Isfahan province, said in his Friday prayers sermon that “addressing social corruption is essential to curb moral decay in society.”

Recent reports and social media images show "hijab patrol" vehicles and agents back on the streets, a reminder of the Islamic Republic's oppressive tactics. The patrols had been withdrawn after the death of Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old who died in the custody of the morality police in September 2022, sparking months of protests.

The clerical ruler's new hijab crackdown, dubbed the Nour project, has been plagued by reports of police extortion, theft, and sexual harassment. Human rights organizations, student groups, and activists have condemned these actions as violations of basic freedoms and human rights.

In his Friday remarks, Tabatabaie Nejad insisted that crackdown on "social corruption" including improper hijab and dog walking is necessary.

Muslim clerics claim dogs are unclean, leading to crackdowns that have caused conflict between pet owners and officials.

As Pezeshkian prepares to take office, the renewed focus on hijab enforcement and moral policing highlights the Islamic Republic's relentless control over personal freedoms, further proving that the country's major policies are dictated by Khamenei, leaving presidents with little room for change.

Although some try to present Pezeshkian as a reformist, he has a history of enforcing strict hijab policies. Despite publicly criticizing the treatment of women during his campaign, his voting record in parliament reveals support for restrictive laws on women's rights.

He was recently accused by his former classmate and Germany-based Iranian dissident Mina Ahadi of violently enforcing the hijab on women at a university in 1979, well before it became mandatory.

Ahadi, who studied medicine at the University of Tabriz alongside Pezeshkian, told Iran International that after the Islamic Revolution, a radical group declared that women should wear the hijab, and it was Pezeshkian who was responsible for this group.