Ayatollah Khomeini Said No Compulsory Hijab In 1979

Many political figures make promises they don't keep, not because they can't but because oftentimes they have other ulterior motives and intentions. Fidel Castro came into power as a Socialist, and once he was firmly ensconced in the leadership of Cuba he revealed himself as a Communist. The same thing happened in Iran over 30 years ago, only this time it wasn't Communism but Islamism, and all the things that the Ayatollah Khomeini promised not to do, like force women to wear the hijab, were eventually instituted a few years after he took control.

This was on a secular Iranian's Facebook page:

Thirty years ago “Khomeini” claimed that everything is going to be free of charge from public transportation to tap water if an Islamic state establishes. He promised freedom of speech and assured that Hijab is not mandatory (see picture).

He, the trustee of people, gained the ruling power of the country and within the very first years of revolution many were made to migrate from Iran, many were arrested and many were executed. The executions reached its peak at 1988, not even a decade after establishment of a totalitarian state under Islam’s name.


A thirty years later people queued desperately at polling places (even outside Iran) to cast their votes with slightest glimmer of hope to elect a new president who made the promise of “Freedom”. The elections led to bloody clashes between people and security guards, police and Basidj paramilitary forces. A large number of opponents of the regime including many students had to leave the country and seek safety abroad. Those arrested faced harsh prison times, torture and even cases of sexual abuse were reported.

You'd think the people in those countries that voted for Islamists after the Arab Revolution would have looked to Iran to see what happened after they helped vote religious fundamentalists into power. It doesn't bode well for them, but it was their choice.