One former MP claimed the fashion items were part of a 'evil' western plot

New fashion for women's coats, known as 'manteau', has caused a panic

Iranian police have closed more than 800 clothes shops in a clampdown

Iranian police have closed more than 800 clothes shops to stop them selling 'unconventional' women's coats.

A further 3,000 shops have been sent warnings, the IRNA state news agency reported.

A fashion for women's coats - known as 'manteau' - with English phrases printed on the back has worried the authorities, who passed new regulations in July.

The coats in question tend to have nonsensical phrases such as 'Keep Calm I'm the Queen' written on them, but they also have short arms and no buttons in the front

The coats in question tend to have nonsensical phrases such as 'Keep Calm I'm the Queen' written on them, short arms and no buttons in the front.

These seemingly innocent fashion items have caused outrage among some authority figures.

MP Zohreh Tabibzadeh even claimed the innocent fashion items were part of a 'calculated plan' to subvert traditional values.

She said on July 11: 'I have seen girls and boys wearing clothes that have the word 'Queen' on them.

Under Iranian law, women must wear a manteau, or similar item, that loosely covers the whole body from the neck down to the knee

'This is an ugly manifestation of a Western trend that has entered our country with evil intentions devised behind the scenes.'

Minoo Aslani, of the hardline Women's Basij Organization, added: 'The spread of these kinds of products are against public morality and indicate a lack of attention by the officials in charge of cultural matters.'