Iran Submits Bill to Allow Women Motorcycle Licenses

Iran has submitted legislation to parliament that would allow women to obtain motorcycle licenses, potentially ending a decades-old prohibition.

Kazem Delkhosh, deputy assistant to the presidency’s parliamentary affairs office, announced the bill to amend the traffic violations handling law.

Delkhosh said current laws exclude women from obtaining motorcycle licenses, creating legal and insurance problems.

He said women involved in motorcycle accidents cannot receive insurance coverage because they lack valid licenses.

“This legal gap is dangerous not only for women, but for other citizens as well,” Delkhosh said.

The current law’s Article 20 mentions only “men” as authorized motorcycle license holders, effectively barring women from legal motorcycle operation.

Iran has restricted women’s rights in numerous areas since the 1979 Islamic Revolution, including mandatory hijab requirements and travel restrictions.

The proposed legislation is a rare acknowledgment by Iranian officials of gender-based legal discrimination in the country’s laws.

Women in Iran have long ridden motorcycles without proper documentation, despite the legal prohibition.