Iranian authorities have sealed the office of Turkish Airlines in Tehran for violating the mandatory hijab rules, an action that came just an hour after a reported conversation between Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Iran’s President-elect Masoud Pezeshkian.
“Erdogan called and talked to the elected president for an hour, God willing, to improve relations,” Ebrahim Sozanchi, a member of the Supreme Council of the Cultural Revolution, said on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter. “Just today, the offices of Turkish Airlines have been sealed because of hijab. It must have been a coincidence…” he added.
The move highlights the ongoing tension surrounding Iran’s strict hijab laws, which have been a focal point of widespread civil protests. Since the “Woman, Life, Freedom” protests in 2022, there has been a notable rise in public opposition to the compulsory hijab, with numerous women openly defying the dress code.
In response to the sustained civil resistance, the Islamic Republic has intensified its punitive measures. Videos of women appearing in public without hijabs continue to surface daily, underscoring the persistent defiance against the government’s mandates.
The sealing of Turkish Airlines’ office is seen as part of Iran’s broader crackdown on those perceived to be violating the hijab laws, further complicating diplomatic relations with Turkey at a sensitive time.
