Iranian authorities have closed over 150 businesses in a 24-hour time period for not following the country's strict Islamic dress code, which includes a requirement for women to wear headscarves in public. Police spokesman Said Montazerolmahdi told the Tasnim news agency “Unfortunately, police have had to seal 137 shops and 18 restaurants and reception areas for not heeding previous warnings.”
The police in Iran now have the authority under a recent law announced two weeks ago to close businesses whose staff do not comply with mandatory head covering rules.
In a statement posted on a police website Saturday, Iranian law enforcement announced their intention to utilize advanced "smart cameras and equipment" to detect and send alerts to women who do not adhere to the dress code.
Police have also warned that car owners will receive a text message if a female passenger in the car breaks the dress code, with vehicles to be seized from those who have broken the law more than once.
Security Police Chief Hassan Mofakhami said in a statement "removing hijab is considered a crime, and the police deal with social anomalies within the framework of the law."
The crackdown comes amid a rise in women defying the law, following the protest movement that began after the death of Mahsa Amini, who was killed after being arrested for allegedly wearing a hijab improperly.
Since the Islamic revolution in 1979, women in Iran are required to wear a hijab, and loose-fitting clothing while in public.
Related Story: Iran Regime Places Public Surveillance Cameras to Identify and Penalize Unveiled Women
