Tehran Denies Russian Women Get 'Hijab Payment'

Iranian women face arrest for not properly covering up.

Iran is denying complaints that Tehran pays a special fee to the Bushehr nuclear power plant's Russian female technicians in order to adhere to the country's Islamic dress code.

Seyyed Mehdi Mousavi Nejad, a member of parliament from Dashtestan in Bushehr Province, says Russian women at Bushehr have a "hijab payment" clause in their contracts but don't observe the requirement.

He said he doesn't know how much the payment is.

But Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Hassan Qashqavi said on December 26 there was "no hijab payment to the Russian women nor to any foreigner working in Iran."

Qashqavi said Russian women at Bushehr still must adhere to Iran's "moral codes and norms."

Women in Iran, regardless of their nationality or religion, face arrest if they don't cover their hair and much of their body.

Based on reporting by AFP, ISNA, and Fars