Iran held an international workshop in Athens, Greece, aimed at reviving the hijab, or Islamic veil, and to revive morality on January 17 in Greece. The International Scientific Workshop on chastity and morality with the aim of refreshing the Hijab, spirituality, ethics and moral education of people with the presence of educated women of various countries was held in the capital of Athens, the Shiite ABNA news agency reported on Wednesday. Attendees and speakers joined the discussion from different countries such as Iran, Greece, Turkey, Bahrain, Denmark and Belgium. Iran's Ambassador to Greece opened the conference by saying, “the main cause of all these conflicts and transgressions is the lack of morality among human societies.” He added he hopes that this conference provides solutions to solve the problem of ethics in today's world. Hojat-ol-Islam Akhtari, head of Ahl-ul-bayt World Assembly, a Shitte orgnization, pointed at the Hijab role and emphasized on the importance of a morale society. “In Islam unlike some other school of thoughts, in prayer and perfection a woman is exactly similar to a man. Women in Islam are economically as well recognized independent people and no one has the right to interfere in their personal property,” he said in an address the crowd. The hijab is a mandatory dress for Iranian women, who cannot be seen in public with out it. Police in Iran regularly arrest women who are not wearing the hijab properly in what is called “bad hijab” fashion and Iranian women are advised to adopt a more conservative dress by the authorities. Iran's Muslims are majority with 98 percent, 89 percent are Shiite and sunni make up the remaining 9 perecent. Iran's other religion include Zoroastrians, Jews, Christians and Baha'is. BM
