Iran has opened a mental health clinic aimed at “treating” women who refuse to wear the hijab, escalating its crackdown on women’s autonomy and rights. Named the Clinic for Quitting Hijab Removal, the center targets teenage girls, young adults, and women who reject compulsory veiling, and it claims to offer “scientific and psychological” treatment.
Iran’s Latest Tool in Enforcing Hijab Compliance
This new clinic marks Iran’s latest approach to enforce its strict dress code. Operating in Tehran, the clinic is overseen by the Headquarters for Enjoining the Good and Forbidding the Evil, a government body under international sanctions for human rights abuses. Led by Mohammed Saleh Hashemi Golpayegani, an appointee of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the department has a record of cracking down on women and social dissent.
Clinic head Mehri Talebi Darestani claims the facility will provide “scientific” guidance to young women resisting the hijab, with a focus on promoting “modesty, dignity, and Islamic values.” Attendance, she insists, is optional, though some worry it may not remain so.
A Response to Rising Anti-Hijab Protests
The clinic’s establishment follows a series of anti-hijab demonstrations sparked by the death of Mahsa Amini, a young woman who died in 2022 after her arrest by Iran’s morality police. Detained for allegedly violating hijab rules, Amini’s death ignited the Woman, Life, Freedom protests, bringing the issue of women’s rights and bodily autonomy into sharp focus.
Public resentment has mounted as Tehran increases surveillance, deploys more morality police, and bans unveiled women from public spaces. These measures, combined with threats of harsh penalties, reflect the state’s intolerance of growing calls for change.
Government Rebranding of Resistance as “Mental Illness”
Iranian officials have escalated their efforts to link hijab resistance with mental illness. The UN has condemned the government’s policies as “gender apartheid,” pointing out that Tehran’s tactics go beyond policing clothing—they aim to control the very identities of Iranian women. The government reportedly considers opposition to the hijab as symptomatic of deeper “psychological issues” that clinics like this one aim to “correct.”
Last year, women refusing to wear the hijab faced punitive “mental health” evaluations. Female public figures such as actresses Afsaneh Bayegan, Azadeh Samadi, and Leila Bolukat were required to attend weekly mental health check-ups, often accompanied by travel bans and bank freezes.
Experts and Rights Organizations Condemn the Approach
Psychiatric experts within Iran, as well as international organizations, have expressed alarm. Four Iranian psychiatric associations issued a joint statement condemning the government’s practice of labeling hijab opposition as a mental health issue. The statement emphasized that diagnosing mental health issues is a job for qualified psychiatrists—not for political authorities.
Amnesty International echoed these concerns. Diana Eltahawy, Amnesty’s director for the Middle East and North Africa, criticized the Iranian government for “weaponizing” mental health care to impose control. “Authorities are terrorizing women with constant surveillance and policing, disrupting their daily lives and causing psychological harm,” she said.
Targeting Women Across Generations
The mental health clinic targets not only women of childbearing age but also teenage girls. This emphasis on youth is concerning to activists, who view the clinic as part of a broader strategy to indoctrinate young women into strict religious and social conformity. Adolescents are especially vulnerable, as they are still forming their identities and beliefs.
Authorities frame the clinic as a place where women and girls can find their “social and Islamic identity,” yet critics see it as an infringement on personal freedom. Women who do not align with the state’s standards risk facing penalties, surveillance, and now even forced “treatment.”
Beyond the Clinic—Widespread Surveillance and Restrictions
This clinic does not stand alone; it is part of a larger web of restrictions aimed at suppressing dissent. Iran has implemented increased covert surveillance, particularly in urban areas like Tehran. Women caught without a hijab face not only social and legal penalties but the threat of public shaming and arrest. Furthermore, reports indicate a resurgence of morality police tasked with enforcing Islamic dress codes more rigorously.
In some cases, even families of women defying hijab mandates experience government reprisals, adding a new layer of complexity to the issue. This family-targeted intimidation has drawn widespread condemnation from human rights groups.
The International Response and Potential Consequences
Global reactions to Iran’s hijab enforcement policies have been swift and critical. The UN has classified these policies as an example of gender-based apartheid, accusing the Iranian government of systemic oppression. International rights organizations are increasingly focusing on Iran, calling for accountability and sanctions to deter further crackdowns on women’s rights.
Sanctions against Iran’s morality police and associated entities have been enforced by the UK and other countries, which have publicly condemned Tehran’s handling of women’s rights. However, despite these sanctions, Iran appears determined to maintain its policies and expand efforts to control its female population.
A Dystopian Take on Mental Health
Iran’s new mental health clinic for women rejecting the hijab symbolizes a disturbing trend in state control, blurring the line between public health and political oppression. As Tehran doubles down on its restrictive policies, Iranian women continue to face unprecedented challenges. The international community watches closely, with activists and policymakers alike condemning these actions as a violation of basic human rights.
The “Clinic for Quitting Hijab Removal” not only questions the legitimacy of Iran’s mental health initiatives but serves as a chilling reminder of the lengths governments may go to suppress dissent.
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