The story: Reformist former president Mohammad Khatami (1997-2005) has criticized Iran’s crackdown on hijab non-compliance. This comes as conservative lawmakers consider a bill to strengthen enforcement of the mandatory Islamic headscarf.

Sidelined after the 2021 presidential elections, pro-reform figures have recently been making more public appearances, possibly in hopes of capitalizing on public discontent with hijab enforcement to mount a comeback in next year's parliamentary polls.

The coverage: Writing the foreword of a research paper on mandatory hijab in Iran, former president Khatami stated on July 30 that forcing women to cover their hair has "not been successful."

• The prominent Reformist figure observed that hijab "has become a matter of identity" for the Islamic Republic.
  
  
• Khatami urged the conservative-dominated political establishment to "accept that a majority of society does not want mandatory hijab."
  
  
• The ex-president also argued that...