-Analysis-

The Islamic Republic of Iran has resumed its drive to enforce requirements of women wearing the hijab, after a lull for the Persian new year holidays that coincided with a threat of a major war with Israel and the West. The first day of the Persian year was March 21, and the country broadly shuts down until early April, though this year, this ancient festivity coincided with the Islamic fasting month of Ramadan.

In 2022, authorities sparked a nationwide revolt for the violence with which police were enforcing hijab rules, which led to the death of Mahsa Amini, 22, in custody in Tehran.

It seemed that after the revolt, the state might tire of chasing and beating girls over a headscarf, but authorities have recovered their intransigence in a matter seen as crucial to the regime's identity.

Police began vigorously, and often violently, enforcing hijab rules on the streets of Tehran on April 13-14, days after the country's Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, told a congregation marking the end of Ramadan, that police must be given a free hand in dealing with provocative women, even as he claimed "the Islamic Republic doesn't want to force anyone to become pious."

He complained that more people had, reportedly, flouted hijab rules and had even eaten in public — breaking the fast — the preceding month of Ramadan.

The regime's crackdown against women continued even amid the most dangerous regional crisis in decades as Iran and Israel exchanged air strikes over the past 10 days.

Iran's so-called "morality police" reportedly arrested the older sister of Nika Shakarami, a 16-year-old, who was killed during the 2022 anti-government protests. Aida Shakarami, 22, was accused last week of "not adhering to compulsory hijab" by morality police in Tehran.