Modest dress can vary from wearing a veil, a garment covering head to toe, or to the burqa which even covers the face and hands. Women in Iran, regardless of whether they are Iranian or non-Iranian (even foreign female tourists) are required by law to wear loose-fitting coats or cloaks as well as a veil.

The law is enforced by the police and various religious militia groups, known variously as “Chastity Guards” and “Morality Police”. Treatment of prisoners, particularly women, has been criticized by Amnesty International and other organizations. The cleric, Hojjat ol-eslam Kazem Sediqi, said in a prayer sermon, “Many women who do not dress modestly…lead young men astray, corrupt their chastity and spread adultery in society, which increases earthquakes.”

These women “spread adultery” and disappoint God. God apparently shows his anger by making the earth move. No word on how God feels about the men who may not need much encouragement to be unfaithful. If the cleric’s theory is true, God must have a particular problem with Iran, where tens of thousands have died due to earthquakes in the last decade. Or it could just be large number of tectonic fault lines in Tehran, which, according to seismologists, is due for a devastating quake.

In addition to immodest women increasing earth quakes, suntanned women and young girls are subject to arrest. Brig Hossien Sajedinia, Tehran’s police chief, said that a national crackdown on opposition sympathizers would be extended to women said to be violating the spirit of Islamic laws. He specifically mentioned that women and young girls who appear suntanned would be arrested and imprisoned.

So how has the United Nations responded to these stories and others about the treatment of women in Iran? The United Nations has elected Iran to its Commission on the Status of Women for the next four years! A group of Iranian activists are asking that member states oppose the election.