Government spokesperson belatedly admits to the failure of the compulsory hijab policy

The spokesman for the government of the Islamic Republic admitted in a statement that the compulsory hijab policy had failed.

Fatemeh Mohajerani, a spokeswoman for the Islamic Republic government, made rare statements admitting that "we cannot force people to wear the hijab back," but at the same time defended the continued surveillance and use of religious institutions for social control.

In the latest official statements about the compulsory hijab policy in Iran, Fatemeh Mohajerani, a spokeswoman for the Islamic Republic government, referred to the experience of "compulsory hijab" as a "failed experiment," a statement that observers have interpreted as one of the government's most explicit admissions of the failure of four decades of policy of suppressing women's veiling.

On Tuesday, October 21, Mohajerani said in his weekly press conference: "We definitely cannot force people to wear the hijab. This was a failed experiment." He also clarified that the government of Massoud Pezzekian still considers itself obligated to comply with the approvals of the Supreme National Security Council and emphasized that any cultural action must be taken taking into account the cultural positions of society.

Mohajerani added that the government, with its "neighborhood-centric" approach, intends to use the capacity of mosques to promote respect for the law, a stance that critics see as a continuation of control from a soft, religious path.

These statements were made while in the past few days, "Ruhollah Momennasb", the secretary of the Tehran Headquarters for Encouraging Virtue and Preventing Vice, had announced the formation of a "Chastity and Hijab Situation Room" and the mobilization of more than 80,000 forces for enforcing the mandatory hijab law.

In recent years, there have been numerous reports of clashes between citizens and Amr Be Marouf forces, the sealing of trade union branches, and the arrest of women because of the type of clothing they wear. Despite widespread protests and civil campaigns, harsh policies against women continue.

According to a government spokesman, no budget has been earmarked for such a special task and the government is trying to regulate the budget to prevent informal measures in the field of hijab. However, local reports indicate that the sealing of shops, cafes and restaurants in various cities is still underway.

In another part of his speech, Mohajerani warned: "Because we are a Muslim society, we must be careful not to create bipolarity in society."

However, social experts believe that a deep polarization has developed between the younger generation and the political structure. In today's Iranian society, a large segment of women, especially after the 2022 protests, see the hijab as a sign of state coercion and have rejected it as a tool to control their bodies and identities.

Based on independent research, including a report by the Gaman Institute, more than 70 percent of Iranian women in 2025 said they opposed compulsory hijab, and that it should be considered a personal decision. These findings indicate that the policy of compulsory hijab no longer has social acceptability or political efficacy.

From the perspective of international observers, the government spokesman's admission of the failure of the coercive policy, although significant, cannot be considered a sign of real change as long as the so-called "commanding the people" and the legal structures of repression are active.

Meanwhile, human rights groups, including Article 18 and Christian Solidarity Worldwide, have repeatedly warned of violations of religious, cultural, and personal freedoms in Iran. They say the mandatory hijab and harsh treatment of dissidents are part of a broader crackdown on religious and civil liberties in Iran.

Although Fatemeh Mohajerani’s words may offer a glimmer of realism in the official discourse of the Iranian government, the continued control over women’s lives shows that the government still fears “freedom as a threat.” For the international community and Christian human rights organizations, this admission is a reminder that the struggle for human dignity and freedom of conscience in Iran continues, and Iranian women are at the forefront of this struggle today.