The debate over the ‘Islamic‘ headscarf may be raging in France or England, just to name two nations, but starting on April 21 women without the traditional Arab head dress can be arrested.  While this law seems almost comical since the headscarf pre-dates Islam but is now seen as a symbol thereof, but Iran’s police chief, Gen. Ahmad Moghaddam, warns the ending of this tradition is a “[tool] of the enemy.”

“Women who do not wear the veil and don’t abide by the Muslim dress code are tools of the enemy, who tries to destroy the system by spreading a cuture which goes against Islamic values,” he said. The general slammed recent criticism of a police measure which will become effective starting on 21 April under which women who do not respect the Islamic dress code will be arrested.

“The police must solve this problem because it is intolerable to accept the challenge posed by some women to the Islamic principles on which our system is based and which the enemy would like to overthrow,” said General Moghaddam.

The police chief also spoke about growing alcohol consumption banned by Sharia law and Iranian laws: “In the past 12 months, security officials have seized four million litres of alcohol which represent less than 25 percent of alcoholic beverages being produced illegally in the country.”

What about when men wear business suits, even sans tie?  What about London Fog jackets?  Neither piece of clothing is exactly Arab or Islamic, but they somehow get a free pass.