(MENAFN- Live Mint) n a bold act of defiance that has captured global attention, an Iranian woman confronted a cleric at Tehran's Mehrabad Airport, removing his turban and placing it on her head as a makeshift hijab. The incident, which went viral on social media, highlights the ongoing struggle against Iran's strict dress code laws, and 'gender apartheid'. The unidentified woman was approached by the cleric for not wearing a hijab, a mandatory requirement in the country.
As tensions escalated, she angrily questioned him, asking, "So you have honour now?" before snatching his white turban and donning it herself.
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The video, shared widely by Iranian journalist Masih Alinejad, shows her asserting her right to choose while challenging the cleric's authority.
"A brave woman at Tehran's Mehrabad Airport confronted a cleric harassing her for not wearing a hijab. In a bold act of defiance, she removed his turban and wore it like a scarf, turning oppression into resistance. For years, clerics have claimed their turbans and robes are sacred and untouchable, but this woman's act of protest shattered that myth. Iranian women are exhausted and enraged by gender apartheid.", Alinejad wrote in her post.
WATCH THE VIDEO HERE
In the video the Iranian woman is also seen expressing concern for her husband, questioning the cleric, "What did you do to my husband?"
The incident has sparked significant debate online, with many praising the woman's actions as a powerful protest against gender oppression in Iran .
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However, Iran's state-affiliated media outlets, like Mashregh News, attempted to downplay the situation, suggesting that the woman had "psychological problems" and reporting that she was briefly detained before being released.
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This confrontation comes amid heightened scrutiny of women's rights in Iran, especially following the death of Mahsa Amini in 2022 , which ignited widespread protests against the regime's enforcement of hijab laws. Many women have since been arrested or faced legal action for defying these mandates.
Last November, a female student at the Azad University in Tehran's Science and Research was seen stripping down to her undergarments, in what many called a protest against the regime. However, the officials claimed she was mentally unstable.
Notably, there whereabouts of this woman, also remains unknown.
Social media users have rallied behind the woman, describing her transformation of the cleric's turban into a hijab as an innovative form of resistance.
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