Iran’s Vice President for Strategic Affairs, Mohammad Javad Zarif, faced backlash after an interview at the World Economic Forum in Davos, where he mentioned that the country had relaxed its strict headscarf laws.
Iranian Vice President Mohammad Javad Zarif stated in Davos that the government would not enforce the strict headscarf ban. “If you walk through the streets of Tehran, you will see that women are not covering their hair,” he said, sparking criticism.
According to Euro News, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian’s deputy, Mohammad Javad Zarif, faced backlash after an interview at the World Economic Forum in Davos, where he mentioned that the country had relaxed its strict headscarf laws.
In an interview with CNN host Fareed Zakaria on Wednesday, Zarif noted that more women in Tehran were choosing not to wear the headscarf and that the government had decided not to enforce the strict hijab laws.
“If you walk through the streets of Tehran, you will see that women are not covering their hair,” Zarif said. “This is illegal, but the government has decided not to pressure women. We are moving in the right direction. It is not enough, but it is a step in the right direction.”
Zarif’s remarks on the headscarf issue sparked debates both on social media and within the government.
Many social media users pointed out that the enforcement of the new, more restrictive headscarf law had only been temporarily suspended and could be reinstated at any moment.
The enforcement of Iran’s controversial Hijab law, which imposed severe penalties on women and girls who violated the headscarf mandate, was suspended in December following public and international backlash.
This regulation imposed extremely high fines, prison sentences, flogging, and even the death penalty for women and girls who failed to comply with the headscarf requirement.
Zarif’s interview also drew criticism not only from women and opponents of the Hijab Law but also from hardliners who support the legislation. Some went so far as to call for his arrest, intensifying the backlash.