Women in Iran can now formally obtain motorcycle riding licences, ending years of legal ambiguity over their use of two-wheel vehicles, local media reported on Wednesday.
Although Iranian law did not explicitly ban women from riding motorcycles or scooters, authorities had long refused to issue licences to female riders. As a result, women were often held legally responsible in road accidents, even when they were the victims.
Iran’s First Vice President, Mohammad Reza Aref, on Tuesday signed a resolution clarifying the country’s traffic code. The measure, approved by the cabinet in late January, requires traffic police to provide training for female applicants, conduct supervised driving tests, and issue motorcycle licences to women, according to the Ilna news agency.
The move comes against the backdrop of sustained social unrest in Iran. Protests that began over economic grievances expanded into nationwide anti-government demonstrations last month. Authorities have acknowledged that more than 3,000 people died during the unrest, maintaining that most were security personnel and bystanders.
Since the 1979 Islamic Revolution, Iranian women have faced numerous social restrictions, including strict dress codes that complicate riding motorcycles. Women are required to cover their hair with headscarves and wear loose, modest clothing in public.
Despite these constraints, the number of women riding motorcycles has risen sharply in recent years, a trend that accelerated following the 2022 death in custody of Mahsa Amini. Amini had been detained by morality police for allegedly violating dress rules, and her death sparked widespread protests led by women demanding greater freedoms.
AFP
