Iranian woman strips down to underwear at university in protest against hijab mandate

Footage shared on social media showed security personnel at the Islamic Azad University detaining the unidentified woman, according to Reuters.

The university's spokesperson, Amir Mahjob, posted on X (formerly Twitter) that “at the police station... it was found that she was under severe mental pressure and had a mental disorder.”

However, some social media users interpreted the woman’s actions as an intentional act of defiance.

“For most women, being ...in their underwear in public is one of their worst nightmares... This is a reaction to the (authorities’) stupid insistence on the mandatory hijab,” wrote Lei La, a user on X, in a comment accompanying the video.

The woman’s current status remains unclear, but the widely-read newspaper Hamshahri reported on its website, "An informed source said...the perpetrator of this act has severe mental problems and, after investigations, she will most likely be transferred to a mental hospital."

The 2022 protests over Mahsa Amini death

Iran witnessed a wave of protests two years ago over the death of a young woman, Jina (Mahsa) Amini, in police custody over Islamic dress code. The 22-year-old was arrested and forced into a van by Iran’s “morality police” in Tehran on Sept 13, 2022 for alleged non-observance of Iran’s law on mandatory veiling. She died in custody on Sept 16, triggering nationwide protests.