In recent events at the City Theatre Metro Station in Iran, the intrusive measures taken by plainclothes agents, acting under the pretext of enforcing Hijab rules, have raised serious concerns about the treatment of women in the country.
The alarming eyewitness accounts, reported by a journalist from the state-run Jamaran.news on December 26, 2023, shed light on a disturbing trend where these agents exceed their duties, engaging in activities that go far beyond giving verbal warnings.
According to the report, the plainclothes agents, purportedly following instructions from the Interior Ministry, have been involved in invasive actions such as the “illegal filming of people under the pretext of Hijab warning, checking mobile phones without a written warrant, and photographing contents from the telephone’s registry, along with searching passengers’ backpacks and bags.” This overreach extends beyond the scope of Hijab monitors, suggesting a sinister motive of identifying and suppressing opponents of the clerical regime.
Contradictory statements from the regime add to the confusion surrounding the issue. While the Interior Minister denied any connection between the ministry and the widespread Hijab patrols, leaked photos of a “top secret” directive on May 30, 2023, revealed a different story. The directive emphasized the arrest and punishment of women removing their Hijab, directly contradicting the official stance. Despite evidence to the contrary, the Interior Minister insisted that Hijab patrols did not require licenses for their activities.
While the Interior Minister denied any connection between the ministry and the widespread Hijab patrols, leaked photos of a “top secret” directive on May 30, 2023, revealed a different story.
More unsettling revelations came to light on December 22, 2023, when Abdul-Hossein Khosrow-Panah, secretary of the Supreme Council of Cultural Revolution (SCCR), disclosed that Hijab Monitors were not acting independently. He revealed that these monitors’ actions were orchestrated by the Chastity and Hijab Garrison, and the SCCR, with coordination from the Interior Ministry. This revelation points to a calculated effort by the clerical regime to utilize Hijab monitors as tools for suppressing dissent and spreading fear in society.
These intrusive measures, as exposed in the recent events at the City Theatre Metro Station, reflect a larger strategy orchestrated by Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei to divert attention from the escalating nationwide discontent and protests. By intensifying control over women and employing covert tactics through Hijab monitors, Khamenei seeks to suppress any potential uprising and maintain a stranglehold on dissent. The regime’s utilization of plainclothes agents and the Interior Ministry’s involvement in these repressive actions serve as tools to spread fear, thereby discouraging any form of resistance.
Ali Khamenei’s overarching aim appears to be rooted in a desperate attempt to quell the growing dissatisfaction among the Iranian population. As discontent simmers beneath the surface, the regime resorts to oppressive measures, utilizing Hijab monitors not just as enforcers of dress code but as instruments of intimidation.
This calculated approach, veiled under the guise of religious adherence, exposes a deliberate strategy to divert attention from the root causes of public frustration and, in turn, maintain the status quo. As we scrutinize the treatment of women in Iran, it becomes imperative to recognize these actions as part of a broader agenda aimed at subduing dissent and evading a nationwide uprising.
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