yo i would kill myself i had to live there. i had a friend who was arrested by what they call "comitee" for wereing a shortsleeve shirt and they threw him in a van and spary painted his arms. that place is becomming more and more like afganistan. I predict a revolution in the near future by the young who make up a majority of the population and are not happy with these islamic laws.

is not for men to lust on them. Now wait a minute... isn't it a men's fault rather than blaming on the women? In other words, gimme all your money or if I rob you, it's not my fault. To me, there's no logic in all these crap

This is so hilarious. Operation "Cover-Up"..... I don't think any person would like to be a woman living in Iran.

See it for what it is - it has nothing to do with modesty or morality. It's just the symptom of a nasty totalitarian ideology brainwashing it's victims.

A totally morally bankrupt regime The malignancy, corruption and wickedness goes down to its very core. As for their so called foriegn policy - Did you know there is increasing evidence that they are CYNICALLY arming both Shia and Sunni in Iraq to ferment civil war. I hope soon that ALL Iraqis will come to realise who their REAL enemies are. Trying to ferment division in Lebanon Trying to promote terrorism and unrest in Palestine. Trying to promote unrest and division in Bahrein Trying to promote the downfall of Assad in Syria Trying to promote unrest in S Arabia Trying to promote the destruction of Israel. Bringing to Iran isolation and enmity. The is the politics of the gutter and the gangtser. And this a regime who want to get their hands on NUCLEAR WEAPONS? This surely is evil personified. But there are people lots of people in Iran who are saying ENOUGH IS ENOUGH. Iran is a pressure cooker gathering pressure, fractures are appearing. Its just a matter of time.

Not surprised at all MK.It may sound alien to you but the chastity of women in Islam is there for centuries and what benefits it has derived may be totally unknown to a person like you.However, the present policy of the Islamic Government in Iran is in the right direction and if the same improves the moral standard of a human being so be it.

the social backwardness of which oppressing women by forcing them to wear so called chaste clothing was ended in the last century meaning that UK's freedoms are eagerly sought by immigrants like you. Contrast that to Iran which is somewhere which only attracts fanatics

Instead of worrying and investing so much effort in the chastity of women, Muslims should take a closer look at the depravity going on in the minds of their men. Mohammed and his lust for children and relatives would be a good start.

I quote " the present policy of the islamic government in Iran is in the right direction." Fair enough, what they do and how they treat their citizens in their own country is up to them.What about the british government and their requests that in schools students especially islamic studednts adhere to dress codes set by the school???? Why but why do you always have to kick up a fuss???? It is our country, and if you want to live in it, you must abide by those rules or simply get out, and after all this you haqve the bare faced cheek to write about moral standards of human beings.... what a complete joke.

The DEMS are giving IRAQ to the Terrorist. There will be no peace when this happens. The streets will run red as the terrorist take control of the largest oil reserve in the world. Then the US will bow and plead for the oil. We are in the weakest position in US history. Our own congress is blind to this reality. God Help Us. They are going to cut us off and watch us drown. IMPEACH HARRY REID!!! Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said Thursday the war in Iraq is "lost," triggering an angry backlash by Republicans, who said the top Democrat had turned his back on the troops. The bleak assessment _ the most pointed yet from Reid _ came as the House voted 215-199 to uphold legislation ordering troops out of Iraq next year. Reid said he told President Bush on Wednesday he thought the war could not be won through military force, although he said the U.S. could still pursue political, economic and diplomatic means to bring peace to Iraq. "I believe myself that the secretary of state, secretary of defense and _ you have to make your own decisions as to what the president knows _ (know) this war is lost and the surge is not accomplishing anything as indicated by the extreme violence in Iraq yesterday," said Reid, D-Nev. Republicans pounced on the comment as evidence, they said, that Democrats do not support the troops. "I can't begin to imagine how our troops in the field, who are risking their lives every day, are going to react when they get back to base and hear that the Democrat leader of the United States Senate has declared the war is lost," said Senate GOP leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky.

Muslims treat their women as second class citizens...we all know this. They are raped, killed in "honor killings" (What a joke), and cannot make decisions without their husband. This is the respect they get from you? Your culture is as backwards as you can get for the modern world and defending it only shows your true colors.

Such as groups of 'volunteers' throwing acid on women who don't conform to their idea of how a woman should dress. The idea that people can take the law into their own hands and 'police' others can and has been horribly abused in Iran and other countries. In the States some young women dress like hookers because they emulate what they see on MTV - something I think is less than ideal, but if you want young women to dress more modestly they have to have a change of heart. Either that or their parents have to get a clue.

Somewhere along the way, Americans forgot how to be the world's leader. Maybe people think its bad to lead, but our other option is to follow countries like Russia, China, France etc...no thanks!!! Everything our soldiers faught for in WW2 is going dwon the drain b/c of our ignorant, naive left-wingers. How do we stop this downhill slide???

Well,Alex,your tone clearly shows more hatred than anything else.However, you dont seem to know the moral standard preached in your own religion.........I am sure of that.Challenge me for the same..........and prove yourself to be on the wrong.

The article is based on the Governemt of Iran trying its best to maintain and to some extent restore moral behaviour.If that is what you call 'backward',I dont want to make any comments.Your own religion preaches about the standard moral standing but gradually,with pace of time,has to greater extent,abondoned these values,DR.The religion that you belong to(if you really do)preaches till today but the followers laugh it out.

BS !

BIG SHITTY ASS !

can you make for ths ridiculous culture and country( Iran)? I am not religious at all. I see thingts from an abjective standpoint. Radical Jews and catholics are all crazy in my mind. But Islam is the only religion to still use barbaric practices and still treats its women like dirt. You can call it moral standards or whatever BS you said, but it doesn't change reality!

When you lose a war, you surrender. Should the US surrender to insurgents? To the terrorists that try to ruin Iraq's future? Its attitudes like yours that make the US weak. The US was naive to think that Iraqis were strong enough to fight for their own freedom, but we still have a chance at helping them achieve this goal. I want the troops to come home asap, but to admit defeat is just not the right thing to do.

There are many countries is this world that are Islamic based countries... if you cant see yourself living in those countries of your OWN religion and choose to live elsewhere, you cannot change their lawas and policies. If you do not like the way THEY choose to live in THIER country, go to a Mulim country.

First of all mahmood, I have or choose not to follow a religion, that said, that does not mean that i have no respect for other religions. DR florida has a point in that islam is the only religion that still uses barbaric practices and so on. Now that to me is without morals. I find it hard to respect Islam (even after reading the koran) when it breeds such evil hatred.

i can't believe that in this day and age, women are FORCED to wear what the government says they should.....otherwise....beating, imprisonment, maybe stoning and beheading???? or even honor crimes? can one imagine how terribly hot it is under such dress codes and attire? can you imagine what women go through in iran and what they have to put up with in islam? what are these clerics afraid of? why hide the women? modesty? bull crap. if a woman is raised right she or others have nothing to fear from her and she'll not go astray. it is the right of the individual in the 21st century to know right from wrong. to dress as they wish, do have the freeedom to choose yes or no, to voice concern and question rules that are supposedly made for "modesty and their protection and benefit". islam is a big huge prison under the disguise of modesty and godliness. shame that it is also a big umbrella for killing, hatred, limited values and degenerates. a government that enforces dress codes, forces people to dress in suffocating cloths is a government desprived of freedom, of choice and of humanity. it is a dictatorship to say the least.

For a person who does not even follow a religion,it is extremely difficult to talk of morality.However, if you ever get an opportunity,do hear the sermons delivered in your,shall I call it,vicinity,city or whatever,based on morals.................you MAY get the message very clearly.Rather than commenting on issues which you cannot comprehend,dwell on the moral standard from different perspective and look for solutions rather than criticising other religion.At the end of the day,it will benefit you.

Sometimes, you call upon the 'good' people of Iran to get rid of their leaders.................today you write...'can you make for this ridiculous culture and country(Iran)......what's going on DR.It clearly shows deviation from what you write today to what you did only 3 weeks back.I can only sympathise with you.Nevertheless,all religions have moral standards which are more or less identical.With span of time,however,some let loose on certain areas and the church leaders even today speak about the same moral standards but have no clue how to restore these.Look around,DR, and you will tend to agree with me in many many respect,unless of course you have never been taught anything by your parents.

So, mahmood... let me get this right.. you are saying that just because i dont follow a religion its difficult to talk of morality??? You must be delusional. As for commenting on issues that apparently according to you I cant comprehend, I do dwell on the moral standards from differant perspectives after living and working in many different countries learning new cultures and so on. If you read what I wrote properly I was actually saying that I dont respect the part of Islam that preaches hate and pure evil. How is that morally wrong oh wise one??/ It is you my friend who cannot comprehend and respect other religions apart from your own.... maybe.. just maybe, one day you will, but rest assured, I wont be holding my breath.

First of all I am a Muslim woman. I must clarify this point because there are people debating this article who aren't muslim, or women, and sometimes both. Secondly, I have no idea where to start because this is such a broad issue, however i will do my best to focus on the issue at hand which is whether or not Iran is justified in their so called "operation cover up." My answer to that is a simple no. Modesty is a major trade mark of islam, expected of both male and females. At the time of Prophet Muhammad(pbbuh) issues such as the aforementioned ones were not major issues. The women obeyed each and every revelation that concerned them as soon as they were revelealed. The men followed the behaviour of the prophet from the way he talked to the way he dressed. Unfortunately in today's world we do not have a prophet living amongst us and revelations have stopped coming to us 1400 years ago. Fortunately we have the Qu'ran and the sunnah (stories recorded about day to day behaviour and actions of the prophet) through those two means each and every muslim understands his or her role in Islam. This brings me to my main point, since every Muslim understands his or her role in Islam than there is no reason for a muslim government to "enforce " the roles of their muslim citizens. The only thing they should enforce is education of their citizens, just like my parents did with me. I started wearing the hijab @ age 22. Nine years after my menstural period(my induction into womanhood). My parents gave me a proper Islamic education and left whether or not I wanted to put my education into practice up to me. Today I feel good about my choice to practice Islam because it was my choice to do so. The worst thing that can be done to a person is to be stripped of the freedom to choose. Therefore, when Iran or any other muslim country "enforces," force being the operative syllable, Islam on their citizens they are stripping individuals of their freedom to choose. Our holy Qu'ran says that there is "no compulsion in religion." Unfortunately this aspect of Islam is overlooked by many of our clerics. In my opinion the only solution to this issue would be a compromise on the end of the Iranian government. They should enforce "operation cover up" in government institutions such as schools, gov't offices, and any other place the government controls. In return they should take these so called volunteers off the streets and allow the people to wear whatever they wish. I doubt there will be anyone walking around the malls naked if this is allowed. One must remember Iran has its own unique culture and their women would never walk the streets in tube tops that expose their navel as some women here in the west do. Iranian culture would simply frown upon such behaviour. In other words, no woman or man would go beyond the PG version of the fashions we have available here in the west. Therefore there is no reason for Iran to panic about losing thier way of life to "western influences". I would like to sign of by saying that this is a big issue that one can write a book on, and that these are only my opinions. God knows best. Sincerely, A Muslim woman

This is probably the best response that I have read in a long time. You seem to have a very open mind, and I agree with what you are saying, you could write a book on this subject. Full respect. Take note mahmood.