An Iranian minister has called for greater tolerance toward women not wearing mandatory headscarves, amid months of protests triggered by the death in custody of Mahsa Amini, media reported Thursday.
Tourism and Heritage Minister Ezzatollah Zarghami, speaking after a government meeting, referred to the fact that increasing numbers of women were being seen without wearing a hijab since the September 16 death of Amini.
“Closed-mindedness unfortunately exists in the country, but we can no longer be hard on the people,” Zarghami said, the ISNA news agency and several newspapers reported.
“To develop tourism and improve social life, you have to open up space, understand the people and not be strict with them,” he added.
Zarghami said he advised a “man who behaves harshly” toward a woman not wearing headscarf to “close his eyes if looking at her excites him.”—AFP
