Saudi Press

Saudi Arabia and the world
Monday, Jun 02, 2025

Iran suspends morality police. What does it mean?

Iran suspends morality police. What does it mean?

The Islamic guidance patrol may be gone for now after months of protests, but mandatory hijab is not.

The morality police in Iran have been shut down, at least for now, according to the country’s prosecutor general. But what does that mean?

Mohammad Jafar Montazeri was quoted as saying by local media on Saturday that the morality police force “has no connection with the judiciary and was shut down by the same place that it had been launched from in the past”.

The announcement was made in the third month of protests that erupted after the death in police custody of Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old woman who was arrested by the morality police in Tehran for alleged non-compliance with Iran’s dress code.

What are the morality police?

*  Known as “Gasht-e Ershad”, or Islamic guidance patrol, the current morality police force was established more than 15 years ago during the administration of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. There had been other forms of patrols earlier.

*  Its units, usually consisting of several men and women, used white police vans with dark green stripes to patrol the streets or park in spots where pedestrians frequent or younger people gather.

*  Its officers would enforce the country’s dress code, which requires women to cover their hair and wear loose-fitting clothing. For violations, they would issue verbal warnings or detain women and take them to “re-education” centres.




What does the suspension mean?


*  The prosecutor general has said the force has been “shut down”, and the vans have not been seen recently in public. But no such confirmation has come from police officials, and reports of Montazeri’s comments did not mention an indefinite shutdown.

*  For now, as the protests continue, many women are walking on the streets of cities across Iran, especially in Tehran, without head coverings.

*  During the protests, women have been filmed taking off their headscarves and burning them while “woman, life, freedom” has become a rallying cry and a way to show solidarity both inside and outside Iran.

*  It is unclear whether officials will continue to tolerate the current situation or if they will use other methods to impose the dress code.




Will there be a change in the law?


*  Let’s not forget that the morality police were just one very visible tool of implementing mandatory hijab.

*  Complying with dress standards became mandatory by law four years after the 1979 Islamic Revolution. It birthed the current theocratic establishment and overthrew a monarchy backed by the United States.

*  No senior official has seriously signalled in public that a major change in hijab laws could be implemented soon. Top authorities have emphasised over the years that they consider the issue to be a “red line”.

*  Montazeri had said last week that both parliament and the judiciary “are working and studying the issue of hijab” while pointing out that the judiciary does not favour indefinitely shutting down the “moral security police”.

*  President Ebrahim Raisi has said several times since September that “flexibility” could potentially be shown in implementing the law, but he has not elaborated. Other officials have hinted at less confrontational but still controversial methods like using artificial intelligence and cameras to fine perceived offenders.


Newsletter

Related Articles

Saudi Press
0:00
0:00
Close
Paris Saint-Germain's Greatest Triumph Is Football’s Lowest Point
OPEC+ Agrees to Increase Oil Output for Third Consecutive Month
Turkey Detains Istanbul Officials Amid Anti-Corruption Crackdown
Meta and Anduril Collaborate on AI-Driven Military Augmented Reality Systems
EU Central Bank Pushes to Replace US Dollar with Euro as World’s Main Currency
European and Arab Ministers Convene in Madrid to Address Gaza Conflict
U.S. Health Secretary Ends Select COVID-19 Vaccine Recommendations
Trump Warns Putin Is 'Playing with Fire' Amid Escalating Ukraine Conflict
India and Pakistan Engage Trump-Linked Lobbyists to Influence U.S. Policy
U.S. Halts New Student Visa Interviews Amid Enhanced Security Measures
Trump Administration Cancels $100 Million in Federal Contracts with Harvard
SpaceX Starship Test Flight Ends in Failure, Mars Mission Timeline Uncertain
King Charles Affirms Canadian Sovereignty Amid U.S. Statehood Pressure
Iranian Revolutionary Guard Founder Warns Against Trusting Regime in Nuclear Talks
UAE Offers Free ChatGPT Plus Subscriptions to Citizens
Lebanon Initiates Plan to Disarm Palestinian Factions
Iran and U.S. Make Limited Progress in Nuclear Talks
The Daily Debate: The Fall of the Dollar — Strategic Reset or Economic Self-Destruction?
Trump Administration's Tariff Policies and Dollar Strategy Spark Global Economic Debate
OpenAI Acquires Jony Ive’s Startup for $6.5 Billion to Build a Revolutionary “Third Core Device”
Turkey Weighs Citizens in Public as Erdoğan Launches National Slimming Campaign
Saudi-Spanish Business Forum Commences in Riyadh
Saudi Arabia and Spain Sign MoU to Boost SME Sectors
UK Suspends Trade Talks with Israel Amid Gaza Offensive
Iran and U.S. Set for Fifth Round of Nuclear Talks Amid Rising Tensions
Russia Expands Military Presence Near Finland Amid Rising Tensions
Indian Scholar Arrested in Crackdown Over Pakistan Conflict Commentary
Israel Eases Gaza Blockade Amid Internal Dispute Over Military Strategy
President Biden’s announcement of advanced prostate cancer sparked public sympathy—but behind closed doors, Democrats are in panic
A Chinese company made solar tiles that look way nicer than regular panels!
Indian jet shootdown: the all-robot legion behind China’s PL-15E missiles
The Chinese Dragon: The True Winner in the India-Pakistan Clash
Australia's Venomous Creatures Contribute to Life-Saving Antivenom Programme
The Spanish Were Right: Long Working Hours Harm Brain Function
Did Former FBI Director Call for Violence Against Trump? Instagram Post Sparks Uproar
US and UAE Partner to Develop Massive AI Data Center Complex
Apple's $95 Million Siri Settlement: Eligible Users Have Until July 2 to File Claims
US and UAE Reach Preliminary Agreement on Nvidia AI Chip Imports
President Trump and Elon Musk Welcomed by Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim with Cybertruck Convoy
Strong Warning Issued: Do Not Use General Chatbots for Medical, Legal, or Educational Guidance
Saudi Arabia Emerges as Global Tech Magnet with U.S. Backing and Trump’s Visit
This was President's departure from Saudi Arabia. The Crown Prince personally escorted him back to the airport.
NVIDIA and Saudi Arabia Launch Strategic Partnership to Establish AI Centers
Trump Meets Syrian President Ahmad al-Shara in Historic Encounter
Trump takes a blow torch to the neocons and interventionists while speaking to the Saudis
US and Saudi Arabia Sign Landmark Agreements Across Multiple Sectors
Why Saudi Arabia Rolled Out a Purple Carpet for Donald Trump Instead of Red
Elon Musk Joins Trump Meeting in Saudi Arabia
Trump says it would be 'stupid' not to accept gift of Qatari plane
Quantum Computing Threatens Bitcoin Security
×