Iran is obliging female civil servants to wear uniforms at work, ISNA news agency said Wednesday, February 22.

Azar Nazari, the head of women's affairs of the Tehran governor's office said that women would be obliged to wear uniforms from the start of the new Persian year, on March 21.

Nazari told ISNA that the uniforms had been designed following consultation with university professors and according to Iranian religious and cultural criteria.

In line with Islamic regulations, women in Iran have to wear long gowns and a scarf to hide body contours and hair.

As M&C reported, citing DPA, dress codes for women in ministries and public organizations are stricter still, and the new initiative further restricting choice of clothing caused dismay.