TEHRAN: Confusion prevails over the fate of Iran’s infamous morality police. The news about it being abolished, based on interpretation of a comment by an Iranian official, turned out to be anything but clear. The nation’s state media has since dismissed such claims, calling them misinterpretation of the official’s statement. Many protesters and pro- reform activists see that as diversion tactics, a plan to distract from three days of major strikes around the country.
Earlier last week, the reports about Iranian ‘morality police’ being “abolished”, made headlines around the world. The news spread like wildfire. On December 3, Attorney General Mohammad Jafar Montazeri had claimed that the Iranian moral police have been suspended. The Iranian state media has come out against the statement and said that the Interior Ministry oversees the force. Till now, there has been no official confirmation regarding the claims made by Montazeri.