Mehri Talebi Darestani, the head of the Women and Family Department of the Iranian government’s Headquarters for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice, recently announced plans to establish a “hijab removal treatment clinic.” This center is purportedly intended to provide “scientific and psychological treatment” for women who defy Iran’s strict headscarf laws. Darestani emphasized that visiting this center would be optional; however, many observers, including the dissident news organization Iran International, viewed her statement with skepticism. They highlighted the lack of voluntary options in a regime known for enforcing compliance with its edicts, particularly those issued by Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Darestani’s department has a dark history, having been sanctioned for various human rights violations, which raises concerns about the clinic’s actual intent and operations.
Darestani herself has a controversial background. She previously served as head of the Ministry of Labor’s Inspection Center until her dismissal under unclear circumstances. Over the years, she has been vocal in promoting state-sanctioned practices such as child marriage on public platforms. The institution that will oversee the proposed clinic is part of a larger trend in Iran, where authorities have increasingly resorted to using mental health systems as tools for suppressing dissenting voices. Human rights advocates have widely condemned this tactic, arguing it represents a form of psychological manipulation designed to control and intimidate women who challenge the regime’s stringent laws.
The backdrop to this initiative is the rising discontent among Iranian women regarding hijab mandates, ignited by the tragic death of Mahsa Amini in September 2022, which catalyzed widespread protests across the country. Amini died after being detained by the morality police for allegedly not adhering to proper hijab regulations, and her death became a rallying point for the “Women, Life, Freedom” movement. This grass-roots uprising, characterized by expressions of solidarity for women’s rights, was met with brutal crackdowns by the authorities and armed militia groups. Despite this repression, dissent lingers, particularly among younger women who have taken to social media to express their opposition to the hijab laws, often under the veil of anonymity due to fear of repercussions.
A stark warning was issued by a young woman who expressed her frustration anonymously, describing the proposed clinic as essentially a prison rather than a center for treatment. This woman underscored the absurdity of the regime’s priorities, pointing out the dire state of living conditions in Iran, such as power shortages and economic hardships, while the government remains fixated on policing women’s attire. Her remarks reflect a growing sentiment that now is a critical moment for women to reclaim their voices and resist enforced compliance with oppressive laws, before the state intensifies its coercive measures.
The implications behind the plan for a hijab removal treatment clinic have been met with grave concern from various activists and journalists, including British-Iranian journalist Sima Sabet. She identified the idea of treating unveiled women as mentally ill as particularly disturbing, emphasizing that it alienates individuals simply for failing to adhere to the regime’s draconian ideology. Sabet’s background also highlights the perils faced by dissenters; she was previously targeted in a murder-for-hire plot allegedly orchestrated by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, illustrating the hostile environment that critics of the government must navigate.
The regime’s approach to dissenting behavior, especially among women, often draws from a playbook that portrays headscarf protests as resulting from mental instability. Notably, a recent incident involved a young woman who protested by stripping to her underwear at a university, after which authorities claimed she was mentally distressed and took her into custody. With reports indicating that she may have been transferred to a mental health facility following her arrest, the fate of this woman remains uncertain. Eyewitness accounts suggest she faced violent assault by militia members during her protest, revealing the brutal tactics employed by the regime to quell dissent and silence those who dare to challenge the cultural and ideological status quo. This highlights the increasingly precarious situation for women standing up against the government’s oppressive policies.