A year since Iran unrest, the hijab takes backseat to economic woes

One year since nationwide protests erupted across Iran in reaction to the death in custody of Mahsa Amini, the issue of the hijab remains a sore spot. But an unrelenting economic crisis has left most Iranians too preoccupied with making ends meet. “They need first to address the economic problem, then they can gradually work on social problems,” says Raha, a 34-year-old accountant. Iran’s economy has been reeling from US sanctions since 2018, when Washington unilaterally withdrew from a landmark nuclear deal.