Iran summons news agency editor over photos of woman without hijab

TEHRAN, May 21, 2026 (AFP): Iran has summoned the editor-in-chief of the official news agency IRNA for explanations over the publication of images of a woman without hijab, authorities and a rights group said Thursday.

Wearing the headscarf in public has been mandatory for women since shortly after the Islamic revolution in 1979, in what was long seen as an ideological pillar of the clerical leadership.

The Iranian judiciary's Mizan Online website said IRNA's editor-in-chief "was summoned to the culture and media prosecutor's office to provide explanations" after the publication "of images showing a woman without observing the Islamic laws and regulations of the country".

It added that "the outlet was also warned to remove the material".

A US-based rights group said IRNA published the photo report on Tuesday and removed the images from its website just a few hours later.

The Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) added that the report showed a woman without the compulsory hijab while at home tending to a baby.

"Marzieh Mousavi, the photographer of the project, emphasised on her Instagram page that the main focus of the story was not... clothing or appearance, but rather the story of temporarily caring for an abandoned newborn," it said.