A woman at Tehran’s Mehrabad Airport took off a cleric’s hijab to cover her head after being questioned about not wearing one. The incident recently occurred online and was captured on video and widely circulated.
The woman took the priest’s turban and put it on her head. “So do you have honor now?” she asked him. The video also shows her asking: “What did you do to my husband?”
Iranian journalist Masih Alinejad shared the video on social media with the caption: “A brave woman harassed a cleric at Tehran’s Mehrabad Airport for not wearing a headscarf. She removed her head. Removing the headscarf and wearing it like a scarf is a bold act of defiance.
“For years, clerics have claimed that their headscarves and abayas are sacrosanct, but this woman’s act of protest shatters that myth. Iranian women are tired and angry about gender apartheid,” she added.
For decades, Iran’s rulers have prioritized strict clothing requirements for women and girls, viewing them as a matter of national security. The rules have prompted protests in the past.
The role of the headscarf in Iran is complex. It represents both religious identity and political power. Leaders such as the late President Ibrahim Raisi and his successor, President Masoud Pezeshkian, have enforced hijab regulations. Pezeshkian promised to stop moral police from harassing women over hijab violations. However, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has the final say and insists that not wearing the headscarf is prohibited.
The Iranian government continues to use technology to monitor women’s clothing and focus on businesses and public gatherings where women do not wear headscarves, although enforcement has eased slightly.
Popular anger over the restrictions has grown over the years. Mahsa Amini died in September 2022 after being detained for allegedly violating hijab rules, sparking widespread protests. Thousands of people who challenge the rules under Khamenei face severe consequences.
