Tehran, 4 December (H.S.): Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei mounted a vigorous defense of the hijab on Wednesday, asserting its compatibility with women's advancement as growing numbers flout the Islamic Republic's stringent dress code.

His address to thousands of women in Tehran followed sharp criticism from over 150 conservative parliamentarians, who accused the judiciary of lax enforcement against public non-compliance with mandatory headscarves.

Khamenei emphasized that hijab-observant women in Iran have excelled in scientific, political, and social spheres, crediting the post-1979 Islamic Revolution for enabling unprecedented progress while rejecting Western claims that such coverings impede achievement.

The remarks also referenced recent backlash against Khamenei's office for publishing an image of an unveiled woman—depicted in a baseball cap—killed during Iran's June conflict with Israel, highlighting tensions among ultraconservatives.

This defiance traces back to the 2022 protests sparked by Mahsa Amini's death in custody after her arrest for dress code violation, with President Masoud Pezeshkian's administration since 2024 declining to enforce harsher penalties approved by parliament in 2023.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar