Iran Woman Strips At University Campus Protesting Against Assault Over 'Improper' Dressing, Arrested

A young woman stripped to her underwear at an Iranian university on Saturday, seemingly in protest against the country's stringent Islamic dress code, according to videos shared online and media reports.

A video posted on social media depicted security guards at a branch of the Islamic Azad University detaining the unidentified woman, reported Reuters.

Photo Credit: X

University spokesperson Amir Mahjob stated on X, "At the police station,...it was found that she was under severe mental pressure and had a mental disorder."

However, some social media users interpreted the woman's actions as an intentional protest.

"For most women, being ...in their underwear in public is one of their worst nightmares, ... This is a reaction to the (authorities') stupid insistence on the mandatory hijab," commented Lei La, a user on X, alongside the video.

The woman's fate remains unknown, but the widely-read daily Hamshahri reported on its website: "An informed source said...the perpetrator of this act has severe mental problems and, after investigations, she will most likely be transferred to a mental hospital."

Increasing numbers of women have been defying authorities by removing their veils, following nationwide protests sparked by the death of a young Iranian Kurdish woman in September 2022, while in the custody of the morality police for allegedly breaching hijab regulations. Security forces violently suppressed the uprising.