Masoud Pezeshkian
| Photo Credit: Getty Images

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has expressed doubts about new legislation imposing tougher penalties on women who flout mandatory hijab regulations.

Since the 1979 Islamic Revolution, women in Iran have been required to cover their hair in public.

However, increasing numbers are appearing without hijabs, especially since protests erupted following Mahsa Amini’s death in custody in September 2022. She had been arrested for allegedly violating the dress code.

Parliament has approved the new “hijab and chastity” law, but it requires the President’s signature on December 13 to take effect.

“As the person responsible for promulgating this law, I have many reservations about it,” Mr. Pezeshkian told state television late Monday.

The text has not been officially published, but Iranian media reports say the legislation imposes fines equivalent to up to 20 months’ average salary for women who improperly wear a hijab or forgo it altogether in public or on social media.

Violators must pay within 10 days or face travel bans and restrictions on public services, such as obtaining driving licences.

“We risk ruining a lot of things in society because of this law,” the Iranian President said, adding that leaders must avoid actions that could alienate the public.

The morality police, who arrested Amini before the protests, have largely vanished from the streets since then, though the unit has not been officially abolished.

Mr. Pezeshkian, who became President in July after campaigning to remove the morality police, has yet to announce whether he will sign the law.

Indian flag at half-mast as nation mourns death of Iran President Ebrahim Raisi.
| Photo Credit: PTI

A one-day state mourning is being observed across India on May 21 as a mark of respect for Iran President Ebrahim Raisi, who died in a helicopter crash on May 20.

The national flag is being flown at half-mast on all official buildings with no official entertainment event during the period of State mourning.

The Iranian President, the country’s Foreign Minister and several other officials were found dead on May 20, hours after their helicopter crashed in a foggy, mountainous region of the country’s northwest, Iran state media reported.

A home ministry spokesperson said Seyyed Ebrahim Raisi, president of the Islamic Republic of Iran, and Hossein Amit-Abdollahian, the country’s foreign minister, passed away in a helicopter crash.

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“As a mark of respect to the departed dignitaries, the government of India has decided that there will be one day’s state mourning on May 21 (Tuesday) throughout India,” the spokesperson said.

“On the day of mourning, the national flag will be flown at half-mast throughout India on all buildings where the national flag is flown regularly and there will be no official entertainment on the day,” the official added.