🔶A new battle over hijab; official and unofficial pressure on women in Iran 🔻Report by Danial Amiri

The presence of women with optional attire in the streets of Iran has become one of the most visible signs of social change after the “Woman, Life, Freedom” movement. In many cities, the Islamic Republic can no longer impose the former form of mandatory hijab with the same intensity and scope. For example, a recently held track-and-field race in which women appeared without mandatory hijab sparked widespread sharp reactions from hardliners affiliated with government institutions. But the reduction in the government’s ability to directly implement this policy does not mean that the pressures have ended.

In recent weeks, hardline forces have tried to bring the issue of hijab back to the center of political and social conflict. Part of this effort is pursued through pressure on the judiciary; an institution that has traditionally been one of the closest parts of the government to conservative and hardline currents. The other part appears in the form of unofficial campaigns on social media—campaigns that seek to deprive women with optional attire of services, shopping, and normal social life.