IntroductionFollowing the Islamic Revolution in 1979, Iranian society has experienced significant transformations in its sexual values, creating tensions between traditional Islamic norms and modern societal trends. The recent "Women, Life, Freedom" movement has gained global attention. This study examines the gender dynamics and discursive conflicts in contemporary Iranian sexuality as influenced by post-revolutionary development policies.MethodConducted from 2019 to 2022, this research analyzed post-Islamic Revolution developmental-cultural policies and included in-depth interviews with 21 participants opposing the government's Islamic policies on sexuality. The sample encompassed diverse views on compulsory hijab, family formation, and high fertility rates. The study aimed to uncover the reasons behind these discursive conflicts and their manifestations in societal attitudes and behavior.ResultsThe Islamic Republic government faced challenges in promoting Islamic development through cultural sexualization. Our analysis identifies various dominant sexual discourses, including narratives on population reduction, cultural invasion, cultural dialogue, Iranian-Islamic sexuality, and population increase. Critics argue that government policies on women's rights, compulsory hijab, and high fertility rates are increasingly seen as outdated and incompatible with modern life. Economic and technological developments since the 1979 Revolution, along with globalization, have significantly shaped these emerging conflicts.ConclusionThe regime's control of sexuality is part of its plan to create an Islamic Ommat (community). The Islamic Republic's governing philosophy is based on the compulsory hijab, family values, and high fertility.ImplicationsTo address conflicts in Iran, policymakers should consider the social landscape and evolving sexuality dynamics. As sexual rights become central to broader socio-political struggles, the regime's rigidity strengthens the movements it seeks to suppress.
