There's a New Traffic Resolution, Women in Iran Are Now Legally Allowed to Ride Motorcycles

JAKARTA - Iranian local media on Wednesday reported that women in the country can now officially obtain permits to ride motorcycles, local media reported on Wednesday, ending years of legal ambiguity around two-wheeled vehicles.

Iran's First Vice President Mohammad Reza Aref signed a resolution on Tuesday aimed at clarifying traffic rules, which was approved by Iran's cabinet at the end of January, the Ilna news agency reported.

The resolution requires traffic police to "provide practical training to female applicants, hold exams under the direct supervision of the police and issue motorcycle driving permits to women," Ilna reported, as reported by Al Arabiya from AFP (4/2).

Previously, the law did not explicitly prohibit women from riding motorcycles and scooters, but in practice the authorities refused to issue permits.

Because of the gray area of the law, women have been held legally responsible for accidents even when they are victims.

The changes follow a wave of protests across Iran that were initially sparked by economic grievances, but which evolved last month into anti-government demonstrations across the country.

Tehran acknowledges more than 3,000 people were killed during the unrest, insisting most were members of the security forces and civilians.

Since the 1979 Iranian Revolution, women have faced a number of social restrictions, with dress codes posing a challenge for those riding motorcycles.

Women must cover their hair with a headscarf in public, wear modest and loose clothing, but in recent years many have defied the rules, with the number of women riding motorcycles sharply increasing in recent months.

This trend has increased after the death of Mahsa Amini in 2022 while in custody, a young Iranian woman who was arrested for allegedly violating the dress code.

Her death sparked protests across Iran by women demanding greater freedoms.