Iran women defy hijab

17-Sep-2026

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Social restrictions on women in Tehran have eased sharply in the years since the 2022 death of Mahsa Amini sparked mass protests, with many women now appearing in public without headscarves and in clothes that would once have drawn punishment. 

Videos on social media show women sitting at outdoor cafes without hijabs, exercising with men in parks and dancing at concerts, underlining how much day-to-day enforcement has weakened.

But the shift has opened a new fault line inside Iran's ruling establishment. Hard-liners are demanding stricter action on women's dress, while senior figures have warned against provoking fresh unrest at a time of war, with US attacks, sanctions and a naval blockade deepening economic strain.