Iran’s judiciary spokesman on Tuesday confirmed that hijab laws remain in force, amid renewed debate over the enforcement of the Islamic Republic's compulsory veiling as public flouting of the policy appears more widespread.
Ali-Asghar Jahangir's remarks come after conservative politician Mohammad Reza Bahonar suggested there was no binding hijab law, a comment that sparked controversy among hardline figures, which he later retracted.
Jahangir said Bahonar had since “corrected his statement,” adding that enforcement of hijab-related penalties continues under existing laws.
Earlier this month, Bahonar said the Hijab and Chastity Law, which Iran’s Supreme National Security Council (SNSC) quietly suspended in May, was “no longer legally enforceable.”
He also said that while some in Iran insist hijab must be compulsory, he has “never believed in the mandatory hijab — not from the beginning, and not now.”
Following backlash from Tehran’s ultra-hardliners, Bahonar on Saturday retracted his remarks opposing the mandatory hijab, calling it a “social necessity” and urging punishment for those who defy it.
The issue remains a flashpoint since the 2022 death of Mahsa Amini, which sparked nationwide protests, with more women refusing to comply with compulsory hijab rules in public despite warnings, fines and surveillance.
Across major cities, women are increasingly seen without headscarves in public spaces, often posting videos online in acts of civil disobedience.
According to a 2022 survey by independent Netherlands-based research group GAMAAN, over 70 percent of men and women in Iran opposed mandatory hijab laws.
According to the official Mizan news agency, the pair—described in court documents as French intelligence employees—were convicted of espionage, collusion against national security, and cooperation with Israeli intelligence.
One received six years for espionage, five for collusion, and 20 years in internal exile; the other was sentenced to 10 years for espionage, five for collusion, and 17 years for aiding Israeli intelligence.
Iranian authorities did not name the two, but the case immediately drew comparisons with Cécile Kohler and Jacques Paris, a French teacher and her partner detained in May 2022 and accused of spying for Israel’s Mossad.
The judiciary said the defendants were arrested in March 2023 and had access to lawyers and contact with family during the proceedings.
They now have 20 days to appeal.
Ongoing dispute over detainees
Earlier Tuesday, judiciary spokesman Asghar Jahangir said Tehran continued to seek the release of Iranian citizen Mahdieh Esfandiari, detained in France on charges of promoting terrorism.
“The Human Rights Headquarters, in coordination with the Foreign Ministry, is making every effort for the unconditional release of our compatriot,” Jahangir said. He described the accusations against Esfandiari as “baseless,” adding that “support for the people of Palestine and opposition to genocide in Gaza cannot be considered a crime.”
In September, France withdrew its case against Iran at the International Court of Justice over the detention of Kohler and Paris. The move followed a meeting between French President Emmanuel Macron and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian in New York and was seen as a possible gesture toward reviving prisoner-exchange talks.
Iran maintains that all espionage cases are handled through “legal and transparent” procedures and denies using foreign detainees for political leverage. France, meanwhile, continues to demand the “immediate and unconditional” release of its nationals.
“Diplomacy will never be suspended, but we did not take part in a summit chaired by a party that takes pride in an illegal attack against our country,” Baghaei said, referring to the Monday meeting in Egypt that was led by US President Donald Trump.
The Sharm el-Sheikh summit, attended by leaders from the United States, Egypt, Turkey, Qatar, France, Germany and the United Kingdom, followed the signing of a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas that ended two years of war in Gaza. The deal included the release of 20 Israeli hostages in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners.
Baghaei said the meeting “had no international credibility” because it was not held under the supervision of the United Nations and several major countries, including China and Russia, were not invited. “A gathering of limited participants cannot claim to represent the global community,” he said, according to state radio.
He added that Iran viewed the conference as politically one-sided, given that it was chaired by “a party that not only supported but also celebrated illegal strikes against Iran earlier this year.”
In June, the United States joined Israel in a series of attacks on Iranian nuclear sites after indirect talks between Tehran and Washington stalled over enrichment and inspection terms. The strikes destroyed parts of Iran’s nuclear infrastructure and killed scientists and soldiers, according to Iranian officials.
Baghaei said Iran’s position on Gaza remained unchanged. “Our clear priority is ending the genocide in Gaza, ensuring the return of displaced residents and securing the withdrawal of the occupiers,” he said. “As long as the Palestinian right to self-determination is not recognized, no plan will lead to real peace.”
Iran rejects Trump’s remarks on peace
His remarks came after the Iranian Foreign Ministry rejected Trump’s comments about a possible peace deal with Tehran, calling them contradictory to US behavior. Trump said during the summit in Egypt that “it would be great if we made a peace deal with them,” and later told reporters that Iran “has been battered and bruised” by sanctions but would “come along” to negotiations.
Tehran said such comments could not be taken seriously in light of US sanctions and the June attacks. “How can one speak of peace while attacking residential areas and peaceful nuclear facilities and killing innocent people?” the ministry said on Monday.
Baghaei said Iran continued to rely on diplomacy “to safeguard national interests and promote peace,” emphasizing that participation in international affairs “is not limited to physical presence at summits.”
“The Islamic Republic has always used diplomacy as a tool to protect its sovereignty and to pursue peace and stability,” he said. “This approach will continue, but it will not come at the cost of our national dignity.”
