As Iran commenced its presidential election on Friday, women without the mandatory hijab or those deemed to be donning "bad hijab" by government standards were denied entry to polling stations, witnesses said.
Such enforcement was particularly noted at locations such as the Hosseiniyeh Ershad polling station, where officials reportedly allowed entry only to women wearing the Islamic Republic's standard hijab.
Rahmatullah Begdeli, a cleric and political activist, criticized the approach on X, saying that women with even slightly visible hair were treated inappropriately.
He contrasted this with previous parliamentary elections where voting requirements were reportedly more lenient.
The strict enforcement marks a shift from past elections when authorities were said to be more accommodating to boost voter turnout.
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