On the one-year anniversary of Mahsa Amini’s death, in Iran the economic crisis overshadowed the hijab debate after the local currency lost 66 percent of its value.
A year after the death of Mahsa Amini sparked unrest across Iran, the issue of the hijab remains a sore spot, but a crippling economic crisis has left many preoccupied with making ends meet.
“I believe economic issues are much more important than the topic of hijab,” 41-year-old housewife Zahra told AFP.
Nationwide protests under the famous slogan “woman, life, freedom” erupted after the death of 22-year-old Iranian Kurd Mahsa Amini in custody on September 16, 2022.
Amini had been arrested days earlier for allegedly breaching the Islamic Republic’s strict dress code, requiring women to dress modestly and cover their head and neck.
“I, myself, have no problem with hijab but would be happier if the economic conditions get better,” said Zahra. Like others interviewed by AFP, she declined to give her surname for fear of facing repercussions. Women in Iran, especially in Tehran, have increasingly been flouting the mandatory headscarf despite government efforts to tighten dress code control.
But across the country, where inflation is hovering at 50 percent and the prices of commodities are skyrocketing, many believe the economy takes precedence. According to analysts, economic grievances have fuelled public discontent since last year’s protests, which persisted for months.
Last year’s demonstrations, which saw hundreds of people killed, including security personnel, with thousands more arrested, posed a significant challenge to the government of President Ebrahim Raisi.
Iran has been reeling under crippling US sanctions since Washington’s unilateral withdrawal in 2018 from a landmark nuclear deal. Since last year, the local currency has traded at around 500,000 rials to the dollar, losing some 66 percent of its value. Imported products have now become a luxury that few can afford.
But the headscarf remains a widely debated topic in Iran, where parliament has discussed a bill imposing strict penalties on women flouting the hijab law.
“This bill is agreeable to some people but not the general public,” said 43-year-old housewife Fatemeh. The accountant Raha meanwhile, believes the country’s economic troubles should remain the priority. It’s “getting worse by day, people are living hard lives,” she said. “First, they need to address the economic problem, then they can gradually work on social problems.”
Miroslava Salazar, with AFP
