Iranian Fashion Police

To the fashion police in Iran, it's not a question of being uncool. It's a criminal matter:

Tehran's police force dispatched dozens of police cars and minibuses into the early evening rush-hour to enforce the dress rules at major squares in the city centre, an AFP correspondent said.

The police PR flak was in fine form:

He said that the campaign would target women who were badly veiled, wore overly tight overcoats, sported excessively short trousers and were "dressed like models."

"As far as men are concerned we will act against those who have Western-style haircuts and clothing. We are also going to act against clothes shops and hairdressers."

Ahmadi said the policy will be first to give a verbal warning to those who infringe the law and, if necessary, they will then be arrested and taken for "consultation."

"Normally the problem is resolved here. If not, and these cases are often those of re-offenders, the case is sent to the judiciary," Ahmadi said.

Overly tight overcoats, excessively short trousers, sounds ominous. Policewomen on patrol, a "friendly chat":

Just before the new crackdown started, popular television host Farzad Hasani grilled Tehran's police chief Ahmad Reza Radan about the drive on his talk show, accusing the police of "not differentiating between people and thugs."

An old woman in a black chador in Vanak Qquare echoed the sentiment.

"Our youth have no peace of mind. They are afraid to go out, they are afraid that if they go out they will be taken to the police. Aren't they saying that there is freedom?"

Freedom is not fashionable in Iran.

UPDATE: Iran continues to hold two Iranian-American hostages associated with leftist think tanks, and arrests more locals. In 2005 a Canadian woman journalist died in Iranian custody with marks of rape and torture:

The massive injuries suffered by Canadian photojournalist Zahra Kazemi while in Iranian custody were so disturbing to the doctor who examined her that he felt compelled to flee the country to expose what happened.

"I am a physician who is sworn to save peoples' lives," said Dr. Shahram Azam, through an interpreter at a news conference in Ottawa Thursday. "When I saw with my own eyes someone who has been tortured, without any doubt it affected my mental state."

Azam listed the injuries he discovered on Kazemi:

• A broken nose.
• A large bruise on the right side of her forehead extending to the side of her head.
• A bloody lump on the back of her head.
• Evidence of internal bleeding of the brain.
• A ruptured left ear drum.
• Deep, long scratches on the back of her neck and calves.
• Evidence of broken ribs.
• Bruises on her abdomen and on her knees.
• Evidence of flogging on her back.
• Broken fingers and nails missing.
• A smashed toe.
• Bruised and swollen feet, possibly the result of a flogging.

As a male doctor, he was not allowed to examine her genitals, but a female nurse who did told him of "brutal damage."

Azam said a neurosurgeon said a brain scan showed she had a skull fracture and extensive injuries to her brain tissue.

Doctors were unable to operate because her condition was too unstable. Kazemi had a respiratory arrest the next day and later died.

And of course, Iran continues to defy the international community and develop nuclear weapons.