Water park shut down in Iran after it was reported that it allowed women to visit the place without hijab

An Iranian water park has been closed down after reports emerged that it allowed women to visit without the mandatory headscarf, according to local media reports on Monday (September 4).

This closure is part of the increased measures adopted by government authorities in the past few months against businesses and women who are not complying with the strict dress code of the Islamic Republic.

Mohammad Babaei, the manager of the Mojhaye Khoroushan water park, confirmed the closure, stating that it was ordered by the authorities due to people “ignoring chastity and hijab” rules. Since 1983, following the 1979 Islamic revolution, women in Iran have been required to cover their heads and necks.

Babaei emphasized that the park had “adhered to the law” and that female visitors were regularly warned to respect hijab rules. He also expressed concern that about 1,000 park employees might lose their jobs due to the closure.

The Mojhaye Khoroushan complex is one of the world’s largest indoor water parks, spanning 60,000 square meters. It is located on the outskirts of the northeastern holy city of Mashhad, where the shrine of the eighth Imam of Shiite Islam is situated.

The dress code has faced increasing defiance by women in Iran following mass protests triggered by the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini, who was in police custody, on September 16 last year. Amini, an Iranian Kurd, was arrested for allegedly not following dress rules.

In recent months, the authorities have been closing down businesses that do not adhere to the dress code and have installed cameras in public places to monitor violations. Increased police patrols have also been deployed to catch those ignoring the law, as reported by state media in July.

UN rights experts have criticized a draft law that includes new penalties for women seen without a headscarf in public, stating that it could amount to “gender apartheid.” The proposed “Support for the Culture of Hijab and Chastity” bill, introduced by the government and judiciary in May, seeks to impose stricter penalties for non-compliance, including increased fines and temporary confiscation of a woman’s vehicle.

According to eight UN rights experts, “The draft law could be described as a form of gender apartheid. The authorities appear to be governing through systemic discrimination with the intention of suppressing women and girls into total submission.”