Shamkhani wedding video sparks backlash over hijab double standards

A video purporting to show Ali Shamkhani, a senior adviser to Iran’s supreme leader, escorting his daughter into a lavish Tehran wedding has reignited public anger over perceived double standards in the enforcement of the country’s dress and morality laws. The footage, which social media accounts say was filmed at the Espinas Palace Hotel in April or May 2024 and resurfaced online in mid-October, shows the bride in a strapless white gown, women with loosely worn headscarves or without head coverings, music and dancing inside an upscale hall.

The scenes circulated widely on social platforms and prompted sharp criticism from Iranians who pointed to the contrast between the ceremony and the state’s strict hijab and modesty regulations. Commenters cited recent government moves to bolster enforcement, including plans for a Modesty and Hijab Operations Room and the deployment of thousands of additional morality police officers in Tehran, and argued the footage underscored unequal application of the rules. One exiled activist wrote, "They enforce Islamic values with bullets, batons and prisons on everyone but themselves," reflecting a common refrain in reactions to the clip.