Political activists and women's rights advocates both inside and outside Iran strongly condemn the recent revival of morality police patrols in the country's streets.

Labeling this move as a “desperate attempt” by the regime to suppress women and impede the progress of freedom and equality, the joint statement published on Friday highlights the potential consequences of escalating repression and arrests.

The activists argue that the reintroduction of morality police patrols will only serve to “exacerbate the already mounting public discontent over inflation, soaring prices, and poverty, further fueling the people's anger.”

Recently, the hijab police patrols have reemerged in the capital city, Tehran, and other major urban centers, following a period of lying low, as authorities feared the potential for renewed anti-regime protests.

Notably, the timing of this development coincided with the anniversary of Mahsa Amini's death while in morality police custody, an incident that triggered widespread protests across Iran.

Despite facing brutal crackdowns, an increasing number of women in Iran have been defiantly flouting the mandatory hijab rules, which have been in place since the establishment of the Islamic Republic in 1979. This mass wave of hijab refusal has left the regime at a loss and revealed the failure of its measures.

The signatories of the joint statement emphasize that the Islamic Republic “must realize its repressive actions, especially during the summer break when universities and schools—the main pillars of the women's revolution—are in session, will be temporary and the regime will face a resolute and overwhelming backlash from the people, particularly women.”