Women in cartoons and animated
features in Iran must be depicted wearing a hijab, the nation’s supreme leader
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has said, issuing a fatwa, reported local media. When
the Iranian Supreme leader was asked by Tasnim news agency whether it was necessary for animated characters
to observe hijab, he said it is “required.”

Khamenei said, as reported by Iran‘s
Tasnim news agency, that even though wearing hijab in hypothetical situation is
not required, in animation it is “required due to the consequences of not
wearing a hijab.”

Political activists in Iran have
condemned the fatwa as some has called it “toxic.” Iranian journalist
and activist took to Twitter over the new fatwa, saying, “This isn’t a joke!
The Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran has announced women even in
animations should wear hijab. Even female insects like bees have their hijabs
on! Their obsession with the hair of female anything is toxic. These people are
in power in Iran.”

Historian Arash Azizi also criticised
Khamenei’s fatwa, saying, “In case you thought the Grand Ayatollah Khamenei
wasn’t focused on core issues of interest for Iran and Iranians.”

Another teacher from Egypt, Heba Yosry
wrote on Twitter, “The absurdity of this is beyond my comprehension. Is the
fear that girls will grow up and not wear hijab? Or that cartoon characters might
be seductive to some adults? Is this what Islam has become?”

Women in Iran need to wear a hijab
covering their head and neck and concealing their hair as it is compulsory in
the nation under Islamic law in force since the 1979 revolution.

Iran also has strict censorship laws for cinema
under which physical interactions between men and women are not allowed, while
any scene that is ‘immoral or offensive’ to the regime gets censored.