Iran has established a specialized mental health clinic in Tehran aimed at “treating” women who refuse to wear the hijab, as the government intensifies efforts to suppress ongoing anti-hijab sentiments.
The facility, called the Clinic for Quitting Hijab Removal, represents Iran’s latest strategy to address female dissent since the 2022 “Woman, Life, Freedom” protests sparked by the death of Mahsa Amini in custody.
The clinic, led by Mehri Talebi Darestani, is intended for women—particularly teenagers and young adults—who resist the country’s mandatory dress codes. Darestani stated that the center will offer “scientific and psychological treatment” to reinforce values like “dignity, modesty, chastity, and hijab.” She emphasized that participation in the clinic would be “optional.”
Oversight of the clinic falls under Iran’s Headquarters for Enjoining the Good and Forbidding the Evil, a government agency known for enforcing strict religious policies. This agency, led by Mohammed Saleh Hashemi Golpayegani and sanctioned by the UK and other countries for human rights abuses, is criticized for its punitive measures against women who challenge Islamic dress laws.
Earlier this month, a university student in Tehran made headlines by removing her hijab in public to protest, leading authorities to label her mentally ill and confine her to a psychiatric facility.
