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Photo: Morteza Nikoubazl / REUTERS
A man ran over two uncovered women in northwestern Iran because, in his opinion, their outfits were un-Islamic.
According to the Ilna news agency, the incident occurred in the city of Urmia.
The driver protested loudly about the women's wardrobe.
These did not put up with it.
There was an argument.
The man then pressed the accelerator and ran over her.
The women came to the hospital with serious injuries, but according to Ilna, their lives are now out of danger. The man initially committed a hit-and-run but was later arrested by the police. The judicial authority in Urmia condemned the act and stressed that it would not tolerate vigilante justice by citizens. The outgoing Vice President and Women's Representative Massumeh Ebtekar condemned the incident as "attempted murder" and demanded a severe sentence for the driver.
In Iran, since the Islamic Revolution of 1979, girls aged nine and over have been legally forced to accept the Islamic dress code.
In public, they must therefore wear a headscarf (hijab) and a long, loose coat to cover their hair and body contours.
Even after 42 years, the coercion does not work as the clergy hoped.
The overwhelming majority of women in Iran are against it.
In the last few years, especially in large cities, more and more women have been seen without headscarves - and the trend is rising.
The hijab law in the Islamic Republic is also harshly criticized by officials and some clerics.
aar / dpa