New Delhi: Today, we’re digging into a story that’s got everyone talking, well, shouting, really…on social media. A leaked wedding video from Iran has the internet in a frenzy, and it’s not hard to see why. It’s calling out some serious double standards in Iran’s strict hijab laws.
Okay, so here’s the deal. In Iran, women have to wear hijab in public…hair covered, no skin showing except face and palms of their hands..sorry just eyes and palms . Break that rule, and you’re looking at fines, jail,beatings, harassment or worse. Remember Mahsa Amini? She was arrested in 2022 for a “loose” scarf and died in custody. That sparked huge protests, and the crackdowns haven’t stopped. Just this year, Iran’s planning to roll out 80,000 morality police in Tehran alone to enforce these rules. It’s intense, right?
But then, jump into October 2025 a video surfaces online, and it’s taken the internet by storm, racking up millions of views. Picture a dazzling wedding at Tehran’s ultra-posh Espinas Palace Hotel, back in April 2024. The bride, reportedly Fatemeh, daughter of Ali Shamkhani, a close advisor to Supreme Leader Khamenei and a key figure in crushing those 2022 protests….. She is radiant in a strapless gown. Her shoulders are bare, her hair flows freely, no hijab in sight. The guests? They’re dressed in elegant, unveiled outfits, dancing under sparkling chandeliers. Even Shamkhani’s wife shines in a blue lace dress, no cover-up. It’s a scene straight out of a fairy tale.
But now, let me first be clear: no one’s saying Fatemeh shouldn’t have the wedding of her dreams… Stunning dress, joyous celebration, the whole package. No one’s questioning her right to that moment. But here’s where it stings: why is she allowed this freedom, while ordinary Iranian women face harassment for the tiniest slip of a scarf? That’s the question lighting up X right now, with hashtags like #IranHypocrisy trending worldwide. One user put it bluntly: “Shamkhani’s daughter gets a glamorous, unveiled wedding, while we’re punished for a strand of hair! ” It’s a gut punch, especially when most Iranians can’t afford lavish weddings…reportedly $21,000 for this one….amid crushing economic sanctions.
The regime’s feeling the heat. Shamkhani claims the video was leaked by Israel, calling it a sneaky “assassination” tactic. Others argue it was a women-only event, where hijab rules supposedly don’t apply.
But those explanations aren’t calming the storm, not when morality police are out there scrutinizing every outfit. And this isn’t a one-time thing. Many elite families host hijab-free celebrations, which means that the pattern’s clear: the rules bend for those at the top.
What’s fascinating…and frankly, infuriating….is how this video’s stirring something bigger.
The 2022 Woman, Life, Freedom protests shook Iran to its core. Now, images from this wedding are popping up on Tehran’s walls alongside protest slogans like “Decades of deceit.” Activists say…“The elite enjoy freedom, while the rest of us are trapped… Suffocated”. Even some in Iran’s hardline circles are raising eyebrows, with even politicians questioning how officials can justify such extravagance when people are struggling.
This isn’t just about a dress or a party…it’s about a system that plays favourites…. Could this video spark another wave of protests? The internet’s buzzing with that possibility.
That’s the story for now, but it’s far from over.
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