Iranian Interior Minister Ahmad Vahidi stresses the need for authorities to back the presence of hijab protectors in public spaces such as metro stations.

The citizens who promote good and prevent vices, also known as hijab protectors, basically do not need permission to put hijab (Islamic mandatory dress code) violators on notice, Vahidi stated.

These people already have a permit under the Support of the Promoters of good and Preventers of Vice Act, the minister said, adding that the government does not plan to issue permits for the activity of all the groups.

Each hijab protector has her own way of promoting good and preventing vice, one hijab protector may give a flower to violators of the hijab rule and another may warn them verbally and all these ways both are acceptable under the law, he noted.

On Sunday, Tehran’s prosecutor opened a case against Etemad newspaper after it published an interior ministry document presenting the enforcement of hijab rules. 

Regarding the document published by Etemad newspaper, Vahidi had said that they should answer why they published a "classified document". 

 Meanwhile, some lawyers argued that, according to articles 4 and 11 of the Information and Free Access to Information Act of 2015, decisions that involve public rights or duties cannot be classified.

The report provided details about the deployment of hijab protectors at Tehran's metro stations, saying a directive issued by Vahidi to several government entities, including Tehran Municipality and the Metro Company.

This is while Interior Minister Ahmad Vahidi and Tehran Mayor Alireza Zakani had earlier denied the involvement of their organizations in the deployment of hijab protectors at Tehran Metro stations.