The Running Battle: Marathon Runners Challenge Mandatory Dress Code on Kish Island

Conversely, the stance adopted by the government under President Masoud Pezeshkian represents a more cautious, if not moderate, approach to the volatile issue of mandatory dress. The president has notably refused to ratify a parliamentary bill that would have imposed particularly tough penalties on women who do not observe the dress code, suggesting an official reluctance to further inflame social tensions and risk a return to the widespread unrest of 2022. This governmental resistance to draconian legislation suggests a realization among some political factions that absolute, forced compliance is becoming practically and politically unsustainable in the face of widespread civil disobedience.