Iran has paused the process of implementing a new, stricter law on women’s mandatory headscarf, or hijab, an official said — a bill that many believe could have reignited the protests that engulfed the Islamic Republic after the 2022 death of Mahsa Amini.

The law, which was approved by the parliament in September 2023, will not be sent to the government as planned this week, according to one of the country’s vice-presidents. The development effectively means that Iran has halted enacting the legislation.

The law levies harsher punishments for women who refuse to wear the hijab and for businesses that serve them, penalties previously rejected by Iran’s reformist President Masoud Pezeshkian as he tries to restart talks with the West over sanctions imposed on Iran over its nuclear programme.

“According to the discussions held, it was decided that this law will not be referred to the government by the parliament for now,” Shahram Dabiri, the vice-president in charge of parliamentary affairs, was quoted as saying in an interview on Monday with the pro-reform Ham Mihan daily.

The decision to halt the legislation — at least temporarily — was reached by top executive, legislative and judiciary bodies, Dabiri also said. At the moment, it is “not feasible to implement this bill”, he added, without elaborating. Had the bill passed to the government, Iran’s President would have had little room to manoeuvre. By law, he’s required to endorse the bill within five days, after which it would have taken effect in 15 days.

AP