The claim of the commander of the national law enforcement is that the plan known as “Plan Noor”, “aimed at preserving the dignity of chastity and hijab and combating abnormalities throughout the country”, is being implemented by this command. (1) Noor is a plan that is apparently executed by the executive authority, but in reality is supported by various executive, security, law enforcement, and judicial institutions in the country, from the government to the Revolutionary Guards and the judiciary and the Friday prayer leaders. A plan that apparently even the leader of the system has given warnings about its “mistakes”. According to Mohammad Ali Jafari, the former commander of the Revolutionary Guards and the head of the Basij organization, it was not intended to question the entire plan, because, as Jafari says, “there is a possibility of mistakes in all cultural, social, and economic missions.” (2).

The issue of mandatory hijab in Iran dates back to the early days after the revolution in February 1979, when Iranian women took to the streets on the first International Women’s Day after the revolution, chanting “We did not make a revolution to go backwards.” From that time on, and in the early years after the victory of the revolution, the slogan “Either the veil, or the coffin” was raised by forces known as Hezbollah and loyalists to the founder of the regime. These conflicts continued until August 1983, when the mandatory hijab law was passed by the Islamic Consultative Assembly and became a necessary law. The 1960s were a decade of war, but after that and throughout the decades, women’s activists in Iran repeatedly tried to break down this barrier of mandatory hijab and demand voluntary hijab for Iranian women through civil resistance. This cold war between Iranian women and the government, however, took on a different form in the last days of summer 202

On April 21, 1983, the leader of the Islamic Republic system, in a strong position, declared the uncovering of hijab as a religious and political sin and claimed that “if the enemy has a plan, we must also have a plan.” He also warned that “unlawful actions should not be taken.” In these statements – which were said in the first spring after the 1401 protest movement – the leader of the system, with the interpretation of “political sin” regarding the citizens who believe in uncovering hijab, said that many of them “do not pay attention to who is behind this policy of removing hijab and fighting against it. Enemy spies and intelligence agencies are pursuing this issue.” (3).

In the year 1402, with the beginning and speeches of the leader of the system, it was filled with plans such as the Hijab and Chastity Bill by the judiciary and government, and the process of its formation and review by various governing bodies; bills that are still being debated between the parliament and the Guardian Council at the time of writing this text. Tehran municipality also moved towards enforcing the leader’s policies and installing smart cameras in Mashhad to monitor cases of non-compliance with mandatory hijab. All these efforts were made, but it seems that the resilience of Iranian women was greater. In the end, the national police came to the streets with a plan called “Light” to, according to their chief, “protect” and “fight against deviance” in the country.

This time, apparently all government institutions of the country have requested to support Faraja, in order to possibly be able to return to the pre-Mehsa movement era. The Revolutionary Guards, which have supported the Faraja Light project in various parts of the country – including Ardabil – have formed a group called “Mehr Ambassadors” to assist their military allies in the police to “seriously pursue the issue of compulsory hijab in the midst of shops, offices, markets, streets, gardens, tourist attractions and public transportation in Tehran.” (4).

Even the government, who had previously created and enforced the Hijab and Chastity law, joined in supporting the Noor plan. To the point that Ahmad Vahidi, the Minister of Interior, openly expressed his full support for the implementation of the Noor plan and stated that the government will definitely assist in providing the necessary equipment for its execution. (5) The Prime Minister also fully supported the Noor plan, to the extent that the commander of Faraja explicitly stated, “Mr. Raisi is standing behind this work.” (6).

In the midst of this, the responsible authority for punishment and judicial action against unveiled women is also the judicial system. The prosecutor’s office is supposed to issue its own “guidelines” for the implementation of this plan (7) and the commander of the judiciary also knows that the implementation of the plan is supported by the parliament, the judicial power, and the government, and says that it is with their support that he pursues this plan with strength (8).

The government and military forces are not the only supporters of the Enlightenment Plan and enforcers of the mandatory hijab on the Iranian society in the midst of civil resistance. Some of the clergy and traditional religious authorities who have remained silent in the face of poverty, corruption, theft, and oppression of the ruling government and their accomplices have now spoken out in support of the Enlightenment Plan and the mandatory hijab. Hossein Noori Hamedani, one of the religious authorities in Qom, has declared his support for the Enlightenment Plan and on the other hand, Naser Makarem Shirazi, another religious authority, has announced his support for the plan through his son and has expressed his gratitude and respect to the commander of the Enlightenment Plan. (9) (10).

Friday Imams, who are appointed by the leader of the system and coordinated by the Council of Friday Imams, all support the “Noor Plan” in unison. One in Fasa claims that the “Noor Plan has a religious and rational basis and is supported by the leader, authorities, and people” while another in Arak says that “all people of Iran support the Noor Plan.” Others from Rasht to Ahvaz also support the Noor Plan and demand its implementation in their neighborhoods. The Friday Imam of Qom says that people should appreciate the police for the Noor Plan and the controversial Friday Imam of Mashhad wants to bring ordinary people to the streets and put them against those protesting against compulsory hijab. (11)

The issue of these waves of support and protests for the Faraja movement cannot be solely attributed to the three powers and some authorities and almost all Friday prayer leaders. Because the support of government forces alone is not enough and the government must show that the people also agree with the Faraja movement. Therefore, rallies in support of the Faraja movement are taking place in various cities across the country. From Rasht to Mashhad, Qom, Isfahan, Bandar Abbas and other cities, supporters of the government come to the streets to demonstrate – just like the street demonstrations of the system during all these years and decades – to show that the people agree with the Faraja movement. The Islamic Republic government has a strange skill in organizing such street demonstrations. Iran’s recent history does not forget gatherings such as July 23, 1999 and December 30, 2009. Gatherings that were created and organized by the people to pledge allegiance to the system and put an end to any

The head of the ideological and political organization, Faraja, has called supporting the Noor project a duty. (12) The government is also trying to use all its resources to ensure that its supporters fulfill this duty; however, they were unable to do so through their own methods within the Islamic Republic system!

We have not yet reached the second anniversary of the 1401 protest movement, known as the Mahsa Movement or Women’s Movement, for life and freedom. But it seems that the government, which suffered a heavy blow in forcing the hijab on people and has been angered by the people’s civil disobedience in the past two years, does not want to accept defeat against the people’s civil resistance and admit that the government is from the people. And when the people do not want compulsory hijab, it cannot be imposed on the nation by force and violence. The “Noor Plan” is also one of the last links in this coercion, which began in April 1403 and it is not clear how long it will continue. When will the government realize that this plan has not and will not work? Of course, there is no hope that the system will end its futile war with Iranian women and accept women’s right to choose their own clothing. Most likely, after the “No

من از شما متشکرم

I am grateful to you.

Notes:

1- The serious start of the “Noor” project begins today with the aim of preserving the privacy of chastity and hijab and combating abnormalities, Ana News Agency, 25 Farvardin 1403.

2- Statements of General Jafari about the “Noor Plan” and the “Base of Insight”, 5th of Ordibehesht month, 1403.

3- Grand Ayatollah Khamenei: The unveiling of the forbidden religious and political veil, election, 15 Farvardin 1403.

4- The commander of Tehran’s Sepah announced the formation of a new group to “enforce the law” of mandatory hijab, Radio Farda, 2 Ordibehesht 1403.

5- Full support of the Minister of the country for the implementation of the “Noor” project, online trust, 19 Ordibehesht 1403.

6- Sardar Radan: No president is willing to implement the “Noor” project because they need to have a vote, but Mr. Rouhani has taken a stand on this issue, Etemad Online, 7 Ordibehesht 1403.

7- The general prosecutor’s instructions regarding the plan for “Noor” will soon be announced, ISNA news agency, 19th of Ordibehesht month, 1403.

8- Commander-in-Chief of the National Security: The implementation of the “Noor Plan” continues with the support of the Parliament, the government, and the judicial power, Basij News Agency, April 24, 2024.

9- Ayatollah Nouri Hamedani: “Noor Plan” is supported by the security forces, IMNA news agency, 10th of Ordibehesht month 1403.

10- Message of Ayatollah Makarem to General Radan about “Noor Plan”, the world of economy, 8th of Ordibehesht month 1403.

11- Ahvaz Friday Prayer Leader: The “Noor” Hijab plan should be implemented from neighborhood to neighborhood, Iran Evening, 14th of Ordibehesht month, 1403.

12- Supporting the “Noor” project is a duty, Seda va Sima News Agency, 13 Ordibehesht 1403.