Iranian regime closes many cafes and gyms due to non-compliance with mandatory hijab
Despite warnings from several politicians about the potential for renewed protests if the authorities continue to focus on punishing opponents of mandatory hijab enforcement, the Iranian regime closed a number of cafes, restaurants, and sports facilities in cities such as Tehran, Mashhad, Babolsar, Rasht, Amlash, and others. The reason cited was ‘non-compliance with the mandatory hijab and the dissemination of images that do not conform to social standards on social media.’
In the latest incident, a cafe and restaurant, ‘Masu,’ and ‘Gota,’ in the city of Babolsar in Mazandaran province in northern Iran, were closed last Wednesday for not adhering to mandatory hijab. The cafes were closed by the Public Places Supervision Administration under the supervision of the city’s police department, according to a report from the ‘Monitoring and Inspection Team,’ with the order coming from the city’s prosecutor’s office.
In the city of Mashhad, a cafe, ‘Patrick,’ confirmed its closure by posting a message on its Instagram page, stating: ‘Unfortunately, Patrick cafe is closed again until further notice,’ according to Iran International.
Cafes in Tehran, including ‘Classic,’ also continued to be closed by the Public Places Supervision forces under the Tehran police headquarters, ‘for not complying with modesty and hijab.‘
In addition to cafes and restaurants, closures also occurred in sports stadiums and gymnasiums. The head of the Public Places Supervision Department in Gilan province, Ali Heydar Khavah, announced the closure of a sports club in Rasht city, stating that ‘the owner of this club violated norms and social standards on social media by promoting Western culture through unlawful activities.’ The closure was coordinated with the Iranian judiciary.
The Iranian Parliament passed a new law imposing strict penalties, including up to 10 years in prison and heavy fines, on women who violate the strict dress code imposed on them. This is the latest indication of the Iranian regime’s efforts to suppress the defiance of the hijab law, following one of the boldest protests that shook Iran last fall.
