Tehran Police Shut Turkish Airlines Office for Defying Headscarf Law

Iranian police have shut down the Turkish Airlines office in Tehran, as reported by Iranian media on Tuesday. This action followed female employees' refusal to wear the mandatory hijab, defying the country's law. The semi-official Tasnim news agency stated that police visited the office on Monday to issue a first warning over "non-observance of hijab" by the employees.

The incident at the Turkish Airlines office coincided with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's call to Iran's President-elect Masoud Pezeshkian. Erdogan congratulated Pezeshkian on his victory in Iran's presidential runoff last week. Pezeshkian defeated hard-liner Saeed Jalili by promising to engage with the West and ease enforcement of the mandatory headscarf law.

Police Actions and Reactions

According to Tasnim, the employees, who are Iranian nationals, resisted the police officers, leading to the office's closure. The report mentioned that police sealed the office due to the employees' behaviour. However, it also noted that the Turkish Airlines office might reopen on Wednesday and resume normal operations, although this was not confirmed by the police.

Tehran Prosecutor Ali Salehi stated that no legal proceedings or rulings had been issued regarding the sealing of the Turkish Airlines office. There was no immediate comment from Turkish Airlines about the incident in Tehran.

Context of Hijab Enforcement

The defiance of Iran's headscarf law has been a contentious issue, especially after Mahsa Amini's death in September 2022. Amini died following her arrest by Iran's morality police, sparking mass protests across the country. Although these demonstrations have largely subsided, some Iranian women continue to challenge the law by remaining uncovered in public.

Over recent years, Iranian authorities have closed hundreds of businesses for allowing female employees to forgo wearing the hijab. This enforcement intensified before Iran's presidential election in June, which aimed to replace President Ebrahim Raisi after his death in a helicopter crash a month earlier.

Iran-Turkey Relations

Despite this incident, Iran and Turkey maintain strong relations. In 2023, bilateral trade between the two countries reached $5.4 billion. Turkey remains a popular tourist destination for Iranians, with around 2.5 million visiting last year.

Turkish Airlines is particularly favoured by Iranians due to its shorter travel times to destinations like the United States and Canada compared to other long-haul flights from Arab countries in the Persian Gulf.

The situation at the Turkish Airlines office highlights ongoing tensions over Iran's headscarf law and its enforcement. It also underscores broader issues within Iranian society regarding personal freedoms and government regulations.