US EditionWomen riding the streets of Tehran on motorbikes is the latest sign of Iran’s societal change
Women in Tehran increasingly ride motorbikes to assert independence and avoid high congestion charges, despite legal and cultural restrictions, officials say this remains a crime.
- Merat Behnam, 38, café owner in Tehran, rode a yellow scooter through Tehran to her café despite expecting disapproval and police stops, signaling a broader shift in social norms.
- After the 1979 revolution, Iran's traffic police regulations specify only `mardan` can get motorcycle licenses, while conservative clerics and hard-line politicians label women riding scooters as `tabarruj`.
- Tehran's streets hold over 4 million cars and motorcycles, and women commuters in Tehran increasingly ride motorbikes to avoid congestion charges of over 20 million rial per month.
- Behnam reports positive interactions with traffic officers in Tehran, who mainly issued warnings about parking and helmet rules and sometimes offered encouragement.
- Riding has come to symbolize choice and independence for women riders in Iran, while reformists push for licensing changes amid hard-line politicians and clerics enforcing restrictions.
20 Articles
20 Articles
Iranian women challenge driving restrictions on motorcycles
In Iran, a growing number of women are challenging traditional norms by riding motorcycles, a practice historically reserved for men under police regulations. While women have been allowed to hold driver’s licenses for years, riding mopeds and motorcycles was long prohibited, viewed as socially inappropriate.
Associated Press News
Women riding the streets of Tehran on motorbikes is the latest sign of Iran's societal change
Women are increasingly seen riding motorbikes in Iran's capital, where laws and religious mores once barred women from motorbikes.
Respect Women Riders on Roads - Republic Policy
Editorial Pakistan’s roads are witnessing a refreshing change: women confidently driving scooters to universities, workplaces, and homes. This quiet transformation represents more than just mobility — it signifies women’s growing autonomy and participation in public life. Yet, it also calls for a corresponding change in male drivers’ attitudes. Respect on the road is not just etiquette; it is a civic duty. Follow republicpolicy.com Male drivers …
Women at the Wheel of Change: Scooters in Iran Become a Symbol of Freedom
For decades in Iran, the image of a woman riding a motorcycle would have seemed unthinkable. Religious norms, social customs, and even police regulations defined two-wheeled driving as a male prerogative. Today, however, something is changing. On the chaotic streets of Tehran, amidst honking horns, smog, and endless lines of cars, more and more women […]
In the streets of Tehran, 38-year-old Merat Behnam rides a yellow motorcycle. For her, this is neither a political manifesto nor a social agenda. She simply goes to work. At first, her journey was quite difficult. There were verbal abuses, dissatisfaction from radical individuals. However, over time, everything changes – and Behnam is a visible symbol of these changes. Merat Behnam, a resident of Tehran: “People tell me: ‘Bravo! How wonderful!’ …
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