Iran orders arrest of women 'attacked for not wearing hijab'

TEHRAN — Iranian authorities ordered the arrest of two women, the judiciary said on Saturday, after a viral video appeared to show them being attacked by a man for not wearing the hijab.

Video footage widely shared on social media in Iran appeared to show the two female customers, who were not wearing the mandatory hijab or headscarf, in a shop being assaulted by a man after a verbal altercation.

The footage shows the man pouring a bucket of what appears to be yogurt on the two women's heads before he is confronted by the shopkeeper.

Authorities issued an arrest warrant against the man "on charges of committing an insulting act and disturbance of order", the judiciary's Mizan Online website reported.

But it added arrest warrants were also issued for the two women for "committing a forbidden act" by removing their headscarves.

"Necessary notices have been issued to the owner of the shop where this happened in order to comply with legal and Sharia principles according to the regulations," it added.

It comes after the death in custody of Iranian Kurd Mahsa Amini in September sparked months of protests after the 22-year-old’s arrest for an alleged breach of the strict dress code for women.

Hundreds of people were killed, including dozens of security personnel, and thousands arrested in connection with what Iranian officials described as “riots” fomented by Israel and the West.

On Saturday, Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi reiterated calls affirming that Iranian women should wear the hijab as a “religious necessity”.

“Hijab is a legal matter and adherence to it is obligatory,” he said.

In late March, the head of the judiciary Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei said “removing hijab amounts to enmity towards values and people who commit such abnormality will be punished”.