Amid the recent attacks on Iran by Israel and America, personal freedom and hijab laws have once again become the center of global discussion. America and Israel have cited Iran’s dictatorship and the strict dress code imposed on women as a major reason behind their military intervention. But the question arises whether Iran is the only country in the world where hijab is mandatory? The reality is that in most Muslim countries it is a cultural choice, but in some countries the strictness of the law still remains.

Taliban rule and strict orders for complete coverage

If we look at the global situation in March 2026, Afghanistan is the second country after Iran, where hijab and burqa are not only mandatory, but there is a provision of harsh punishment for breaking it. After the change of power in the year 2021, Taliban has gradually imposed strict controls on women’s freedom. Under the decrees of 2022 and then the Virtue and Vice Law of 2024, it is now legally required for Afghan women to cover their face and entire body in public places. Here entry into hospitals, schools and government offices is prohibited without full coverage or burqa, which has almost eliminated the public presence of women.

Aceh province of Indonesia

Hijab is not mandatory at the national level in Indonesia, the country with the world’s largest Muslim population, but its Aceh province is a big exception. Aceh has a special Sharia law in place, which legally obliges Muslim women to wear hijab and modest clothing in public. The Sharia police here patrol the streets and have the authority to impose fines or punish women who violate the rules. In the rest of Indonesia, women are free to wear what they like, but Aceh’s geographical and legal location puts it closer to the category of Iran and Afghanistan.

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Changing winds of Saudi Arabia and ending legal imperatives

Saudi Arabia was once considered the most conservative country in the world, where it was impossible to step out of the house without Abaya and Hijab. However, after 2018-2019, major changes have taken place here under the Crown Prince’s Vision 2030. Now it is no longer legally mandatory for women in Saudi Arabia to wear Abaya. Although the society there is still quite traditional and it is advisable to wear decent clothes in public places, but now the police do not arrest a woman just for not wearing hijab. Here legal compulsion has now been replaced by social expectation.

Iraq and Syria

There is no national law in Iraq that compels women to wear hijab. In religious cities such as Najaf and Karbala, it is expected to wear a hijab out of respect, but in modern cities such as the capital Baghdad, women can freely move around without a headscarf. Talking about Syria, hijab was never mandatory here even during the Assad regime. The new interim government formed after the change of power at the end of 2024 has clearly banned compulsory hijab, that is, it is now prohibited to force anyone to wear hijab, so that women have complete freedom to choose the dress of their choice.

Sudan and Yemen

Following the 2019 revolution in Sudan, major legal changes took place and parts of Sharia that restricted women’s dress were removed. Now wearing hijab is not a legal obligation there. The situation in Yemen is a bit complicated; There is no written national law, but in war-torn areas and tribal communities it is almost impossible not to wear hijab or niqab. Here, more than legal punishment, the threat of social ostracism and security forces women to wear veil. In parts of northern Yemen, where Houthi rebels control, the same strictness regarding dress code is seen as in Iran.

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