Iranian authorities are stepping up enforcement of mandatory hijab wearing at Tehran North Islamic Azad University with an intensified security presence and even physical force, students have reported on social media.
Since the start of the new academic year, security personnel have been stationed at entrances and throughout the campus, scrutinizing female students' attire and issuing warnings for non-compliance.
Students have reported incidents on campus on social media, with one student on X alleging that a security officer physically assaulted a female economics student for failing to adhere to hijab rules. The officer pushed the student against a wall and threatened to file a disciplinary report against her, the student said.
The "Tehran North Islamic Azad University Freedom Seekers" Telegram channel reported on October 7 and 8 that confrontations over hijab and dress codes have intensified since the start of the academic year.
Security personnel are inspecting aspects of female students' attire, including color, length, sleeves, and style, according to the channel, confronting those deemed non-compliant and recording their names for potential disciplinary action.
In addition to regular security stationed at the university’s entrances, more male and female officers have been deployed specifically to monitor students’ attire at entry points, the student witnesses reported.
The officers not only inspect students’ clothing and ID cards but also bar female students not conforming to the Islamic dress codes from entering the campus, they added.
Despite prior promises from senior officials including President Masoud Pezeshkian to ease restrictions, the reports indicate the enforcement and clampdown on students has not stopped.
On September 1, during the induction of Hossein Simayi Sarraf as the Minister of Science in the new administration, Pezeshkian urged a review of dismissed professors’ cases and called for the reinstatement of suspended students.
“When a student protests, I must respond; if they are right, I should listen, and if they are mistaken, I should guide them,” Pezeshkian remarked.
Nevertheless, intensified security measures and disciplinary actions against protesting students persist.
According to the Freedom Seekers channel, security officers have prevented certain students dressed in shorter garments from entering, requiring them to change into longer clothing. Officers have also recorded student ID numbers, reportedly to open disciplinary files, raising concerns of further punishment.
The channel reports that a student who receives three warnings about their attire could face disciplinary action, with penalties varying based on the severity and type of infractions.
Since its inception after 1979, the Islamic Republic has frequently detained, expelled or penalized students and professors voicing opposition.
Security measures and disciplinary restrictions in universities intensified following the 2022 nationwide protest movement, which ignited widespread demonstrations on campuses.
Rights groups have reported that during the Women, Life, Freedom uprising—sparked by the killing of Mahsa Jina Amini in morality police custody—over 12,000 students were detained, suspended or expelled, while at least 400 professors faced dismissal, forced retirement or suspension for expressing support for student protests.
