TEHRAN, Iran
The transformation begins subtly at the edges of Iran’s capital and becomes unmistakable in its affluent northern hills: women, everywhere, walking publicly with their hair uncovered.
This widespread abandonment of the mandatory headscarf, or hijab, marks a dramatic shift in a country that once strictly enforced the law. The change, unthinkable just a few years ago, is a direct legacy of the 2022 death of Mahsa Amini and the historic protests that followed, galvanizing women across Iranian society.
“When I moved to Iran in 1999, letting a single strand of hair show would immediately prompt someone to tell me to tuck it back,” said Holly Dagres, a senior fellow at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy. “To see where Iran is today feels unimaginable: Women and girls openly defying mandatory hijab.”
Analysts suggest authorities are now overwhelmed by the sheer scale of the defiance. At a delicate time marked by economic crisis and public discontent, a crackdown risks sparking renewed street protests, leaving the government seemingly unable to stem this quiet, powerful rebellion.
By James Kisoo
