Women Seen Without Hijab on Streets of Iran Ahead of Mahsa Amini Protest Anniversary

In Iran, as the second anniversary of Mahsa Amini’s death and the subsequent widespread protests approaches, it has become increasingly common to see women walking the streets without hijabs. Although there has been no official commentary or study on this growing trend, social media videos show women and girls, particularly after sunset, going about with their hair uncovered.

New reformist President Masoud Pezeshkian had promised during his election campaign to curb the harassment of women by the morality police. However, the country’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has emphasized that removing the hijab is both religiously and politically restricted. For some religious Muslim women, covering their heads in the presence of men outside their family is seen as a symbol of purity and modesty before God.

Following Amini’s death, there were widespread protests across the country, which led to months of security crackdowns resulting in over 500 deaths and more than 22,000 detentions. Today, women are observed on the streets without hijabs in various parts of Tehran, whether in affluent northern suburbs or working-class southern neighborhoods. This trend is particularly noticeable in the evenings, though on weekends, women can also be seen with uncovered hair in major parks before sunset.

Azadeh (25), a student at Tehran Sharif University, commented, “Mahsa Amini gave me the courage to go without a hijab, and we must preserve this as an achievement.”

News by Prime Time Today