The country’s deputy police chief said cars could be taken away for up to a week while male drivers could be fined for bad conduct

This article is more than 4 years old

This article is more than 4 years old

Iranian women who fail to wear a veil when driving will have their cars impounded for a week and are likely to be fined, police in the country have warned.

Deputy police chief, Said Montazer-ol-Mehdi, said officers had been authorised by prosecutors to take such steps. If traffic police spot an unveiled woman driver or passenger, “their car will be taken to a police compound for a week”, he said, according to the official IRNA news agency.

Some of the car owners will be fined but other offenders will be referred to judicial authorities for further investigation.

The steps are part of a wider traffic police crackdown that could also see male drivers targeted for bad conduct. Violations could include “driving recklessly, parading in the streets and harassing women,” IRNA said.

When in public, all women in the Islamic republic – including foreigners – are required to wear at least a hijab, a loose scarf that covers the hair and neck.