Models in Iran have been arrested and forced to grovel in public for posting glamorous pictures of themselves online without headscarves.

Police have arrested eight models in a new crackdown targeting 'un-Islamic acts' such as women exposing their hair.

One famous beauty, Elham Arab, known for her wedding-dress portraits, was interrogated on camera at the Iranian Revolutionary Court with her blonde hair hidden under a black chador.

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Models in Iran have been arrested and forced to grovel in public for posting glamorous pictures of themselves online without headscarves. Among them is, Elham Arab (pictured) known for her wedding-dress portraits

She was charged with 'promoting western promiscuity' and forced to give public 'self-criticism.'

'All people love beauty and fame,' Arab said. 'They would like to be seen, but it is important to know what price they will pay to be seen.'

The arrests were made in a sting operation code-named Spider-2 which particularly targeted users of the picture-sharing site Instagram.

Arab (pictured) was interrogated on camera at the Iranian Revolutionary Court with her blonde hair hidden under a black chador (left)

The sting is said to have identified 170 people running Instagram pages - 59 photographers and makeup artists, 58 models, 51 fashion salon managers and designers, and two active institutions.

'We found out that about 20 per cent of the (Iranian) Instagram feed is run by the modelling circle,' Javad Babaei said on state television on Sunday.

They have been 'making and spreading immoral and un-Islamic culture and promiscuity', he added.

Babaei said it was the judiciary's duty to 'confront those who committed these crimes in an organised manner'.

In addition to the eight arrests, criminal cases have been opened against 21 other people, he said.

The sting operation has homed in on a database of over 300 popular Iranian Instagram accounts and connected accounts.

Police have arrested eight models in a new crackdown targeting 'un-Islamic acts' such as women exposing their hair online. Pictured is model Niloofar Behboudi

The arrests were made in a sting operation code-named Spider-2 which particularly targeted users of the picture-sharing site Instagram (pictured, Behboudi)

Prosecutor Javad Babaei accused models of 'making and spreading immoral and un-Islamic culture and promiscuity' during an address on state television on Sunday (pictured, Behboudi)

According to reports those arrested include Melikaa Zamani, Niloofar Behboudi, Donya Moghadam, Dana Nik, Shabnam Molavi, Elnaz Golrokh and Hamid Fadaei.

The hijab has been compulsory in public in Iran since its 1979 Islamic revolution.

Arrests follow the detentions of artists, poets, journalists and activists as moderate President Hassan Rouhani's administration secured a landmark nuclear deal with world powers.

They signal that hard-liners in the police and judiciary, who were unable to stop the accord and fear looser social norms will weaken the Islamic Republic, still hold significant power in the country.

Those targeted saw their businesses shut down, as well as their pages on Instagram and Facebook removed. Arab's Instagram account could not be accessed on Monday.

Prosecutor Babaei said an investigation found 20 per cent of the Instagram feed in Iran is run by the modelling circle. Pictured, Elnaz Golrokh, a model and professional makeup artist who has 638,000 followers

Since the 1979 Islamic revolution, women have been prohibited from going out in public without their hair covered (pictured Golrokh)

The sting is said to have identified 170 people, including photographers, makeup artists, fashion salon managers, designers and two active institutions in addition to models (pictured Golrokh)

The previous Spider operation targeted 'pornography and insulting Islamic sanctity,' officials have said.

In recent years, Iranian women - especially in the capital, Tehran - have worn the mandatory scarf loosely on their head, drawing the ire of conservatives in the Islamic Republic.

Tehran police chief Gen. Hossein Sajedinia in April announced his department had deployed 7,000 male and female officers for a new plainclothes division - the largest such undercover assignment in memory - to enforce the government-mandated Islamic dress code.

According to reports those arrested include Melikaa Zamani, Niloofar Behboudi, Donya Moghadam, Dana Nik, Shabnam Molavi, Elnaz Golrokh and Hamid Fadaei (pictured)

In addition to the eight arrests, criminal cases have been opened against 21 other people (pictured, Fadaei)

The model crackdown is just the latest move by authorities to control online expression in Iran.

Nearly 40 percent of Iran's 80 million people can access the Internet, though the U.S.-based watchdog Freedom House describes web access as 'not free' in the Islamic Republic due to censorship and filtering.

In May 2014, authorities arrested a group of young Iranian men and women for an online video of them dancing to Pharrell Williams' song 'Happy.'

While the arrests drew widespread criticism, including from the musician himself, those involved each received suspended sentences of six months' imprisonment and 91 lashes.

Shabnam Molavi, (pictured) is noted for modeling in Tehran for California-based magazine FSHN in 2013 without the permission of the government. It is said to have been one of the first photoshoots in the country for an international magazine since a 1969 edition of Vogue

Nearly 40 percent of Iran's 80 million people can access the Internet, though the U.S.-based watchdog Freedom House describes web access as 'not free' in the Islamic Republic due to censorship and filtering. Pictured, Melikaa Zamani, who was among the eight arrested

The average monthly income for a successful model is 100 million rials (£2317.20) Elham Arab told Tehran's prosecutor.

Instagram is extremely popular in Iran. Unlike Facebook, Twitter and YouTube which remain blocked, Instagram is accessible to Iranians.

The site, owned by Facebook, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

In recent years, Iranian women - especially in the capital, Tehran - have worn the mandatory scarf loosely on their head, drawing the ire of conservatives in the Islamic Republic. Pictured right is Elham Arab

The arrests were made under an scheme called 'Spider II', targeting models who post photos online in which they are not wearing a hijab (stock image)