A terrified woman has been savagely beaten by morality police thugs in Iran because her head scarf was deemed an 'insufficient' covering, activists said.

The outrageous scene, in what appears to be a public park in broad daylight, was secretly filmed by an onlooker and has been spread online by dissident groups.

The disturbing footage initially shows a woman with a red scarf pushed to the back of her head having a heated conversation with a man and another woman.

Seconds later, two women wearing all-black coverings that leave only their faces visible barge onto the scene and begin grabbing and shouting at the woman.

The aggressive goons - who are believed to be members of the Islamic theocracy's morality police - become increasingly violent towards their frightened victim

The victim can be heard screeching in terror as the sickening abuse continues. At the end of the video, the brutal attackers can be seen pointing and shouting at members of the crowd who appear to disagree with their barbaric actions

The veil has been a mandatory dress requirement for women in Iran since the Islamic Revolution in 1979. Pictured: The terrified victim is beaten by the thugs

The aggressive goons - who are believed to be members of the Islamic theocracy's morality police - become increasingly violent towards their frightened victim.

Other women, who do not appear to be members of the force, assist the primary attackers as an argument rages throughout.

The victim can be heard screeching in terror as the sickening abuse continues.

She can later be seen lying on the floor, crying in pain and without her head scarf, as a large crowd surrounds her.

At the end of the video, the brutal attackers can be seen pointing and shouting at members of the crowd who appear to disagree with their barbaric actions.

A Facebook group which highlights such instances of abuse, My Stealthy Freedom, uploaded the video.

In a description of the footage, the activists wrote: 'This woman is savagely beaten up by morality police as punishment for her insufficient hijab. And they tell us hijab is a "small issue".'

They added: 'We expose them and we resist compulsory hijab.'

The group's founder - and also the founder of the anti-hijab 'White Wednesdays' movement - said to the thugs who beat the woman: 'Shame on you'.

She can later be seen lying on the floor, crying in pain and without her head scarf, as a large crowd surrounds her

The disturbing footage initially shows a woman with a red scarf pushed to the back of her head having a heated conversation with a man and another woman

White Wednesdays encourages women to flout regulations by capturing footage and pictures of themselves without their hijabs and posting it online.

The veil has been a mandatory dress requirement for women in Iran since the Islamic Revolution in 1979.

The Islamic code also forbids women touching, dancing or singing with men outside their families.

Women are only allowed to show their face, hands and feet in public and are supposed to wear only modest colours.

Over the years, however, women have pushed back the boundaries of the law, with many wearing loose, brightly coloured headscarves far back on their heads.

In November, footage emerged of women standing up to police and strangers after walking the streets without hijabs.

At one point a female campaigner shouts 'spit out your insults' after being told to cover her head while a second film shows a man threatening to slap a young woman for breaking the law.

Another video showed a father standing up for her daughter after a passer-by ordered her to 'observe hijab'. The father stands his ground and tells the man 'I don't believe that nonsense'.

