Iran's National Security Council has suspended the implementation of the controversial "hijab and chastity law" that was due to come into force on Friday.

President Massoud Pezeshkian called the legislation "ambiguous and in need of reform", indicating that he intended to reassess his measures.

The proposed new law - which would introduce tougher punishments for women and girls for exposing their hair, forearms or lower legs - was widely criticized by rights campaigners.

The strict dress codes imposed on women and girls, which have been treated as a national security priority by the rulers of the Islamic Republic of Iran for decades, have sparked protests in the past.

Under the new law, repeat offenders and anyone flouting the rules would face heavier fines and longer prison sentences of up to 15 years in prison. It would also mandate that businesses report anyone who breaks the rules.

Human rights groups had expressed fear. Amnesty International said that the Iranian authorities were "trying to worsen the system of repression that is already getting worse".

During the presidential election in July, the candidate Pezeshkian then openly criticized the treatment of Iranian women regarding the issue of hijab.

He promised not to interfere with their personal lives, a stance that was popular with many Iranians, especially from a younger generation frustrated by the strict control of the government.

Masoumeh Ebtekar, the former vice president for women and family affairs, also criticized the law, saying: "The new legislation is an indictment of half of the Iranian population."

The hijab debate gained momentum last week when Parastoo Ahmadi, a popular Iranian singer, was arrested after streaming a virtual concert without an audience on YouTube while not wearing the hijab.

The concert went quickly and the arrest of Ahmadi and his bandmates sparked a widespread backlash. Facing public outcry, authorities released them the next day.

Tensions around the hijab have been high since national protests in 2022 sparked by the death of Mahsa "Zhina" Amini, a young Kurdish woman who died in police custody after being detained for saying that she broke the dress code.

Over the past two years, many young Iranian women have removed their hijabs in public, challenging the government's authority.

Last week, more than 300 Iranian rights activists, writers and journalists condemned the new hijab law, calling it "illegal and unenforceable" and urged Pezeshkian to respect it his campaign promises.

Despite pressure from hard-line groups close to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, it seems that many young people in Iran are not afraid to defy the government's restrictions.

Pezeshkian's supporters believe that the new hijab law will not deter young women from resisting it and may even make the situation worse.

However, supporters of the legislation have pressed the president to move forward, criticizing the reluctance of the National Security Council and demanding that he sign the law to pave the way for its implementation. to clean

The decision to stop its implementation shows that the government is afraid that it could trigger another wave of mass protests, like those seen two years ago.