Messages sent to Iran International point to a renewed wave of security and social pressure in several Iranian cities, as prospects for a possible agreement and the continuation of the ceasefire between the Islamic Republic, Israel and the United States have become more serious.
According to the messages, morality patrol activity has resumed in cities including Isfahan, Rasht and Anzali, with officers targeting not only women over mandatory hijab but also men whose clothing is deemed outside official norms, including those wearing shorts.
Several messages said people had been detained and taken to police vans over clothing-related cases. Citizens also reported that officers were photographing people in public spaces.
One person said plainclothes agents in Isfahan had been warning women and girls in the streets over their clothing and putting them under pressure.
In Rafsanjan, one citizen said that after women supporting the government confronted her over hijab, armed officers later went to nearby locations looking for her.
Messages from other areas also pointed to wider controls, including checks of citizens’ mobile phones.
The accounts come alongside reports of shop closures in Rasht over hijab-related cases.
In Arak, a women’s sports club was reportedly sealed after security forces entered the premises and arrested several coaches.
