Leaked documents from the Iranian regime’s Ministry of Interior reveal plans for a newly established headquarters named ‘Chastity and Hijab,’ aimed at implementing new policies to monitor and coordinate institutions responsible for enforcing hijab regulations.
Approved by the Supreme Council of the Cultural Revolution, which is presided over by the regime’s president, over 30 institutions have been tasked with overseeing hijab compliance for nearly two decades. These include the Ministries of Health, Education, Road and Urban Development, Municipalities, Ministry of Interior, Ministry of Intelligence, and the Police Force. The objective of the ‘Hijab and Chastity Headquarters‘ appears to be the supervision of these entities.
For the past two years, the media has frequently mentioned the ‘Hijab and Chastity Headquarters,’ although neither its location nor its members are known. Since 2011, a staff named the ‘Hijab and Chastity Working Group of the Security Central Headquarters’ within the Ministry of Interior has been acknowledged, tasked with reviewing programs of the Supreme Council of the Cultural Revolution, yet significant media coverage has been lacking.
Etemad newspaper’s revelation of a ‘confidential’ resolution indicates that the Hijab and Chastity Headquarters has become a key supervisory body in combating hijab violations. In addition to ministries, this headquarters issues directives to higher institutions, including the judiciary, the Ministry of Information, the IRGC, and the police force.
Leaked resolutions identify Ahmad Vahidi, the Minister of Interior, as the individual announcing these decisions. It appears that the headquarters operates under the supervision of the Ministry of Interior, with Vahidi stating that his ministry’s role is to monitor the Supreme Council of the Cultural Revolution’s approvals on chastity and hijab.
A ‘very confidential and urgent’ announcement mandates ministries and business owners to oversee institutions and businesses under their purview, such as hospitals, medical centers, clinics, subways, airports, railways, commercial complexes, schools, and universities.
Simultaneously, branches of the Hijab and Chastity Headquarters have been established in ministries, governorates, and municipalities of both small and large cities since the beginning of the year. On April 23, 2023, a branch was inaugurated in the Tehran subway, subsequently expanding to cover all governorates, municipalities, and ministries.
Several branches now exist in the Ministry of Communications, the Ministry of Labor, Secretariats of Higher Education, etc. Mohsen Khaki, an advisor to the Minister of Interior, is mentioned as the secretary of the Hijab and Chastity Headquarters in official news from the last two or three years.
Prior to the 2022 protests, the ‘Chastity and Hijab Base’ was led by an IRGC officer named Mohammad Hossein Sepehr. After June 2022, the structure of this base changed, and the Ministry of Interior assumed increased responsibility following the critical situation of the regime.
Numerous, sometimes parallel, institutions within the regime monitor the implementation of hijab laws sanctioned by the Supreme Council of the Cultural Revolution over the years. One such entity is the Clothing Organizing Committee, formed in November 2021, led by Majid Emami, who is also the deputy minister of culture and Islamic guidance.
The committee focuses on spreading the culture of ‘hijab and chastity,’ emphasizing modesty and mental peace in society. However, its constitution states a duty to address the causes of failure in organizing fashion and clothing situations and anomalies in proper clothing.
The controversial Hijab and Chastity bill plays a significant role in increasing pressure on citizens. Though not officially enacted, its implementation has commenced, with warning SMS sent to first-time violators and escalating fines for subsequent offenses.
According to a leaked notification signed by Vahidi, the judiciary is required to establish mobile and urgent courts to handle hijab violators. The police and guidance patrol forces serve as the primary executive arm in enforcing the regime’s dress code.
While the Ministry of Intelligence and the IRGC are not directly responsible for hijab enforcement, a confidential resolution from the Hijab and Chastity Headquarters mandates their assistance in identifying violators and installing surveillance cameras.
The Hijab and Chastity Headquarters has urged the IRGC to support municipalities by providing ‘motivated’ forces, known as ‘Hijab Observers,’ to enforce hijab laws in parks and subways. According to the headquarters, financing for these forces is the responsibility of the municipalities.
