Compulsory hijab: a tool of repression, or a profitable industry for regime-aligned profiteers?
After the Islamic Revolution, Ruhollah Khomeini and other leaders of the Islamic Republic sought to redefine Iran’s cultural, social, and political identity based on “Islamic values”, one of which was suppressing women’s freedom of dress and enforcing the Islamic hijab.
Today, compulsory hijab in Iran is no longer just a law or religious symbol. It has become a lucrative industry for profiteers connected to the Supreme Leader’s inner circle and its affiliated networks, an industry that turns the repression of women into a source of financial gain.
In this podcast, we examine the mafia-like system behind forced hijab and its impact on the lives of people in Iran.Nazila Golestan and Sahar Nasseri, as political analysts,journalist Maziar Mokfi explore the deeper dimensions of this industry and its ties to the state’s mechanisms of control and profit.
The HamAva podcast series is dedicated to fostering national dialogue around universal values: democracy, secular governance, human rights, and sexual equality.Within this framework, we believe we can move, through collective wisdom, toward a free and dignified Iran for all Iranians, regardless of belief, identity, sexuality, ethnicity, or background.