How Controversial Laws Have Exacerbated the Growing Division Among Iran’s Ruling Powers

Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf was forced to end a session that was to discuss the controversial hijab law after a heated verbal exchange that nearly escalated into a fistfight.

TV footage broadcast by Iranian media showed widespread chaos in the chamber following a discussion between Ghalibaf and several lawmakers belonging to a hardline bloc called the Resilience Front.

These MPs accused the parliament speaker of delaying the passage of the new hijab law while accelerating the passage of the United Nations Convention Against Transnational Organized Crime (UNTOC), also known as the Palermo Convention.

Ghalibaf, in turn, accused the hardline lawmakers of engaging in media populism, reflecting a growing division within the legislative establishment regarding legislative priorities and the limits of the powers of the state's highest bodies.

Controversial Law

In an unexpected move, Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf announced on May 26 that the Supreme National Security Council (SNSC) had issued clear directives not to implement the new hijab law, despite its prior approval by parliament.

He pointed out that the Council’s directives take precedence, which effectively means suspending the law despite the completion of all related legislative procedures.

The Entekhab news website confirmed that the decision came in response to a security and strategic assessment of the country's situation.

The SNSC is Iran's highest decision-making body and enjoys constitutional powers that allow it to review or block decisions issued by parliament or the government if it deems them to threaten national security or internal stability.

The Supporting the Culture of Chastity and Hijab bill was prepared by Iran's judiciary following the protests of the fall of 2022 and was then urgently sent to parliament during the government of Ebrahim Raisi.

On September 20, 2023, the Iranian parliament approved the bill after increasing its provisions by 500%, for a three-year trial period. It then referred it to the Guardian Council.

However, the council rejected the bill and returned it to parliament due to its ambiguity, particularly regarding the use of facial recognition systems, its financial cost, and the overlapping powers of the Ministry of Interior with other agencies.

After making amendments, the council approved the draft law and returned it to Parliament for a vote in September 2024.

In its most recent version, the hijab law stipulated heavy fines and denial of public services for women who did not observe the hijab in public, with prison sentences for repeat offenders.

Several months ago, a number of Iranian lawmakers informed the government of Masoud Pezeshkian of the need to implement the law.

However, before implementation began, government officials announced a suspension of the law, demanding new amendments, while some hardline lawmakers insisted on its immediate implementation.

While the law was scheduled to be implemented in December 2024, widespread public outrage at home and abroad led to its postponement.

As disputes between the government and parliament escalated, the SNSC intervened and decided—based on the overall situation in the country—to suspend the law's implementation.

Nevertheless, tensions persisted between supporters and opponents of the law's implementation, amid ongoing political debate over its content and implementation mechanism.

The delay has drawn criticism from hardliners who view it as weakening Islamic principles.

Harsh Measures

Earlier this month, Iranian government spokeswoman Fatemeh Mohajerani stated that a new law on chastity and hijab would be prepared in light of recent developments.

She stated that the government decided to withdraw the bill because the version approved by parliament contradicted the government's primary goal, which is to protect women from violence.

She explained that the substantive amendments made to the bill in parliament weakened its content and altered its nature, leading to a change in its name and a reduced focus on the issue of violence against women.

She added that these changes prompted the government to withdraw the bill because it no longer reflected its original goals.

Regarding the chastity and hijab law, Mohajerani confirmed that the government is currently preparing a new draft law that is in line with the country's general orientations.

In April, Iran’s police signed a cooperation agreement with the Education Ministry allowing enforcement measures in schools, sparking backlash from teachers’ unions who warned of militarizing education.

Critics say the agreement, which allows police to intervene in school policies, could turn schools into military arenas and force students to wear the hijab.

Last March, the Iranian parliament announced the complete abolition of morality police patrols on the streets.

At the same time, a UN report revealed that Iran is using drones and digital surveillance technologies against women who refuse to comply with compulsory hijab rules.

UN investigators have uncovered a smart app called ‘Nazer’, developed by the Iranian police, that allows citizens to report women who are not wearing the hijab in private and public vehicles, including taxis and ambulances.

Iranian authorities have also installed facial recognition systems on main roads and at the entrances to some universities, such as Amirkabir University in Tehran, to monitor women who are not wearing the hijab.

Critics have condemned the approach as unconstitutional and ethically fraught.

Internal Division

Amid difficult economic conditions and worsening financial challenges, Iran has taken a remarkable step that reflects a shift in its approach to international relations, seeking to reduce its isolation and engage in global legal and financial cooperation frameworks.

This shift, which comes after years of hesitation and internal division, is viewed as an attempt to ease restrictions on the Iranian economy and open new channels for engagement with international institutions.

While opinions differ regarding the motivations and timing of this move, it certainly represents a milestone in the course of Iranian politics and indicates a growing awareness of the need to adapt to regional and international changes to avoid further contraction and isolation.

On May 14, Iran's Expediency Discernment Council approved the country's accession to the Palermo Convention, a move comes after years of intense debate among political, legal, and economic circles within Iran regarding accession to the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) agreements, in light of Western sanctions and concerns about the implications of these agreements for national sovereignty.

Supporters of these agreements see them as necessary for economic integration, while opponents fear they could lead to security exposure and the leakage of sensitive information.

The Iranian government's accession to the FATF, particularly the Convention on the Combating of the Financing of Terrorism (CFT), has faced fierce opposition from circles supporting the Revolutionary Guard's activities abroad. 

They have consistently opposed any acceptance of FATF rules, claiming that it would restrict the financing of armed groups sponsored by the Quds Force, the IRGC's external arm.

It should be noted that Iran's accession to the CFT is still on the agenda of Iran's Expediency Discernment Council and will be considered at a later date.

Political analyst Ibrahim Khatib explained to Al-Estiklal that “the suspension of the implementation of the chastity and hijab law in Iran has important and complex implications that reflect an internal conflict between the various wings within the ruling establishment in Iran, in light of mounting popular anger and international pressure.”

“The standoff over hijab enforcement highlights deeper political dilemmas which continue to challenge Iran’s clerical leadership,” he added.

On the other hand, analyst Khatib noted that “Tehran seeks to use the approval of the Palermo Convention as a positive signal parallel to the ongoing negotiations with the US and the planned discussions with the European Troika, but Western rejection of Iran's conditions for its approval of the agreement remains possible.”