New Iran president vows to ensure morality police don’t ‘bother’ women

TEHRAN: Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian vowed on Monday (Sep 16) to use his power to ensure that morality police do not “bother” women, speaking on the second anniversary of Mahsa Amini’s death in custody.
“Morality police were not supposed to confront (women). I will follow up so they don’t bother” them, said Pezeshkian during his first press conference in Iran since taking office in late July.
The reformist president replaced ultraconservative Ebrahim Raisi who died in a helicopter crash in May.
Pezeshkian’s remarks came as the Islamic Republic marked the anniversary of the September 2022 death of 22-year-old Iranian Kurd Mahsa Amini in police custody.
Amini had been arrested earlier for allegedly violating strict dress rules for women, requiring them to cover their head and neck and wear modest clothing in public.
Her death triggered months-long protests in Iran, with hundreds of people, including dozens of security personnel, killed in the unrest. Thousands of demonstrators were arrested.
Pezeshkian had vowed in his campaign to “fully” oppose police patrols enforcing the mandatory hijab headscarf as well as easing long-standing internet restrictions.
Iran has over the years tightly controlled internet use, restricting popular social media platforms such as Facebook and X.
Harsher curbs were enforced following 2019 protests against fuel price hikes and during the wave of demonstrations triggered by Amini’s death.
On Monday, Pezeshkian said his government was working to ease restrictions online, especially on social media.