Two Minutes in Tehran — Episode 42

Two Minutes in Tehran is a weekly series dedicated to briefing you on the latest news on Iran

New Hijab Law Goes Into Effect

• This week, an Iranian member of parliament confirmed that the regime's new "Hijab and Chastity Law" will go into effect today, December 13th.

  • The bill, taking effect under a "reformist" president's cabinet, brings a new level of harshness to the regime's suppression of women. The bill mandates that the regime's Atomic Energy Organization assist the regime in surveilling and identifying women who are unveiled using surveillance footage.

Tehran Tops World's Pollution Rankings

• On Wednesday, Tehran reached the #1 spot on IQAir's live tracker of most polluted cities in the world. The city had the highest air quality index globally, as regime policies continue to harm Iran's environment.

  • Videos from inside the country show how intense pollution is, with people falling ill and being unable to breathe.

'Seed of the Sacred Fig' Nominated for Golden Globes

• Dissident Iranian filmmaker Mohammad Rasoulof's film 'The Seed of the Sacred Fig' has been nominated for a Golden Globe for "Best Non-English Language Film." The film is also Germany's submission for best foreign-language film at the Oscar's.

  • Rasoulof fled Iran in May after he was sentenced to eight years in prison over his films and activism.