At the beginning of last century, Shah Reza Pahlavi launched a modernization drive and in 1936 banned Iranian women from wearing the veil. In 1979 the Islamic revolution reversed the social costumes by gradually imposing Islamic law that swept away women’s rights. For the past four decades, women have sought to restore their rights.
By adopting liberal styles of dress and engaging in everyday social life, women and men have challenged Iran’s social order. Despite the recent edict returning the morality police, women have increasingly broken veiling laws. Under the slogan ‘Women, life, freedom’, a wave of protests following the death of Masha Amini, feature women and youngster who are challenging state control of Iran’s social, cultural, economic and political life.