Iranian lawmakers are calling for changes to a controversial bill that would impose stricter penalties on women who do not comply with the mandatory hijab dress code, according to reports by local media on Wednesday.

More than two years have passed since protests swept the nation over the Islamic Republic's restrictions on what women can wear.

The bill, which is titled "Law on Supporting the Family through the Promotion of the Culture of Chastity and Hijab," had already been passed by Iran's parliament and received approval from the Guardian Council, which vetted the legislation. But now it is being held back for further review before reaching the government.

What are the concerns?

Shahram Dabiri, Iran's vice president for parliamentary affairs, confirmed that he had requested the bill not be forwarded to the government for final approval."We requested that the law of chastity and hijab not be referred to the government," Dabiri was quoted as saying by the ISNA news agency. He added that "the parliament speaker requested an amendment to the bill."

While Dabiri did not specify what amendments are being considered or when the process would conclude, the delay highlights ongoing debates within the government regarding the bill's implications.

What does the bill propose?

The 74-article bill introduces stricter rules on women's public attire and places responsibility on businesses to enforce dress code compliance. Violators, including those promoting what the bill terms "nudity" or "indecency," could face severe penalties, such as fines exceeding $6,000 or up to 10 years in prison.

The law had been originally targeted to be sent to President Masoud Pezeshkian for his signature. However, Pezeshkian, who wields the power to approve the law, has voiced "restraints" over the law, saying it is replete with "many vagueness."

The mandatory hijab law has been in force since Iran's 1979 Islamic Revolution and requires covering the head and neck area in public. However, the dress code has increasingly become a contentious issue in recent years especially following the death of 22-year-old Iranian-Kurd Mahsa Amini in 2022.

Amini was arrested by Iran's morality police for alleged violation of the dress code. She died under disputed circumstances in police custody. This sparked widespread protests across the country for months, leading to the killing of hundreds of people-including security personnel. Thousands of people were arrested while demonstrators protested as the government attempted to crack down on unrest.