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NewsweekDec 05, 2022
Iran: Attorney General Signals Morality Police to be Disbanded
Image copyright: via The New York Times
The Facts
Iranian Attorney General Mohammad Jafar Montazeri reportedly announced on Saturday that Iran's so-called morality police, the Gasht-e Ershad, is being disbanded. In September, the arrest of Mahsa Amini for allegedly violating the country’s mandatory dress code for women, and her subsequent death in police custody, led to persistent protests against the Iranian government.
Referring to Iran's Interior Ministry, the authority in charge of the morality police, Montazeri said that "the same authority which has established this police has shut it down," according to Iranian media reports. Meanwhile, Iranian protesters on Sunday called for a three-day strike this week over Amini's death.
The Spin
Pro-establishment narrative
The despotic Iranian regime is finally bowing to pressure from the brave protesters.The potential disbandment of the morality police is an unprecedented move and, as the first major policy reversal from the government, it is a testament to the effectiveness and power of the protests. The demise of the state-enforced hijab would be a resounding victory for the women of Iran.
Establishment-critical narrative
A credulous western media has taken the remarks of a government official out of context once again. The Attorney General does not have authority over the morality police, and continues to express his support for the dress code. Reporting has continued to undermine Iran by supporting the violent protests and engaging in information warfare by distorting the facts at hand.