The recently elected president of Iran aims to shield women from the scrutiny of the country's moral enforcers.
In his campaign, the recently elected Iranian president, Massud Peseschkian, vowed to eliminate the presence of the morality police on the streets. However, during his first press conference, his statements seemed less firm. He also touched upon the matter of nuclear weapons.
Two years after the tragic death of Mahsa Amini, an outspoken Kurdish woman, Peseschkian promised action against the morality police's mistreatment of women. "Women shouldn't have to deal with the morality police. I'll make sure they're left alone," the reformist president, who took office in July, declared at his press conference. Even the Attorney General has stated that the agency has no authority to harass women.
Amini, a 22-year-old, passed away on September 16, 2022, following her arrest by the morality police for allegedly breaching the stringent Islamic dress code. Her demise ignited months of protests, resulting in hundreds of casualties, including numerous security personnel, and thousands of arrests. In the heat of his campaign, Peseschkian had fiercely criticized Amini's death and pledged to abolish the morality police. The agency is responsible for enforcing the hijab for women.
Loosening of Web Restrictions
Peseschkian also announced the relaxation of internet restrictions, paying special attention to social media networks. During the 2022 protests, Iran imposed blockades on the most frequently used platforms, including Instagram, WhatsApp, YouTube, Facebook, Telegram, Twitter, and TikTok.
Moving on to international relations with the US, Peseschkian declared that Iran would not provoke conflict if the US respected Iran's sovereignty. "We're not adversarial. We haven't built military facilities near their borders," he said. Furthermore, Peseschkian assured there were no intentions to develop nuclear weapons. "We've adhered to the agreement," he declared, further mentioning that the US had breached the deal and forced Iran to react.
Peseshkian replaced the ultra-conservative president, Ebrahim Raisi, who lost his life in a helicopter crash in May.
The newly elected president, Peseschkian, acknowledged the Attorney General's stance that the morality police has no authority to harass women, indicating potential action from The Commission. In his international addressing, Peseschkian stressed that Iran has adhered to the nuclear agreement and does not intend to develop nuclear weapons, maintaining that The Commission will uphold this commitment.
