Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi pledged to foil the movement demanding the removal of the mandatory hijab in the country.
He made his remarks a month before the first anniversary of protests that erupted following the death of Mahsa Amini.
"I am telling you that the removal of the hijab will definitely come to an end, do not worry," Raisi said Wednesday at a commemoration ceremony for Iranian fighters killed in Iraq and Syria.
The president's statements coincide with the enforcement of strict security measures in anticipation of a renewal of the protests, fueled by the death of Amini, a young Kurdish woman, who was on a family visit to Tehran when police arrested her for not abiding by the country’s strict dress code for women. She died in custody, sparking the protests.
Following the protests, women defied authorities and more and more have been seen in Tehran and main cities without the hijab.
Raisi slammed the removal of the hijab, saying it was part of an “organized movement” and threatening to hold to account those “involved in the enemies’ plot”.
An Iranian draft law that would set new penalties for women not wearing a headscarf in public has sparked heated debate.
More than 500 protesters were killed in the violent crackdown on the protests in wake of Amini’s death. Over 20,000 people were arrested and seven executed on charges of attacking the security forces.
Around 70 members of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards’ Basij forces, the police, and the security forces were killed in clashes with demonstrators.
Last month, Iran relaunched patrols by the morality police to tackle the growing phenomenon of the hijab removal.
Police plan to use smart technology in public places to identify women who don’t wear a headscarf. Authorities have also shut down dozens of restaurants, stores, and other businesses across the country they say were failing to comply with the mandatory headscarf law.
