As flights are due to resume on 17 April, flight attendants who refuse to wear a headscarf will be assigned to other routes.
The Air France requirements caused a protest amongst the company’s flight attendants, because management agreed to the proposal of trade unions for voluntary compliance to maintain the dress code.
“When flight attendant or pilot will be assigned to a flight to Tehran, Air France will give them the opportunity to refuse and to change their flight. All employees must inform about their refusal to wear a headscarf beforehand,” the airline spokesperson was quoted by Reuters as saying.
French Minister for Women's Rights, Laurence Rossignol, welcomed this decision.
But to get an idea as to how this decision was handled in Iran, Sputnik spoke to expert Emad Abshenass.
“According to the legislation of the Islamic Republic of Iran all women including foreigners must abide by the Islamic dress code in public places. It is necessary to cover head, clothing should be long sleeves and it should be lose. It must not be tight to the body, that is, we are talking about the requirements of the Islamic dress code.”
“This rule has no exceptions for anyone. It is therefore understandable why these requirements are put forward and to its staff, in this case — the stewardess. Even high-ranking foreign officials like for example, the distinguished Prime Minister of Australia. When she stayed on an official visit to Iran, she dressed in appropriate clothing — in a hijab. All foreign high-ranking persons, female representatives of foreign states must respect the laws of the country to where they have come — to Iran.”
Abshenass further said that there is no need for women to cover their faces in Iran. Hence, complying with this manner of clothing should not create such a big problem for foreign women in Iran.
