ANALYSIS: Khamenei’s Words, Women’s Resistance, and the Psychological Dynamics of Control...

On December 17, 2024, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei delivered yet another polarizing speech during a meeting with state-selected women’s representatives. At its core, his message emphasized traditional gender roles, compulsory hijab, and his ongoing narrative of external enemies undermining the Islamic Republic. Khamenei’s statements reveal not only a deep resistance to societal change but also shed light on the regime's psychological approach to control, deflection, and preservation of its ideological authority.

This latest address—delivered under the guise of honoring the Prophet’s daughter—reiterated the Islamic Republic’s familiar themes: the sanctification of motherhood, accusations of Western manipulation, and firm denouncement of feminist movements and public protests. Khamenei’s rhetoric, however, carries a significant psychological undertone. It attempts to reframe growing unrest among women and youth as external conspiracies, deflecting blame while reinforcing obedience as a moral and religious imperative.

Khamenei’s Psychological Strategy: Control Through Narrative

Khamenei’s speech highlights a consistent strategy: using external “enemies” as a scapegoat for domestic dissatisfaction. By framing protests and movements for women’s rights as products of “soft warfare” waged by Western powers, the regime seeks to delegitimize grassroots activism. This approach taps into a deep-seated nationalist sentiment among segments of the population while sowing distrust against reformist or opposition voices.

Psychologically, this strategy serves several purposes:

1. Deflection of Responsibility: Instead of acknowledging systemic economic struggles, gender inequality, and oppressive policies, Khamenei points fingers outward. Blaming Western nations for “instigating unrest” allows the regime to sidestep accountability for internal discontent.
2. Cultivation of Fear: By portraying external actors—primarily the United States and Israel—as threats to national security and cultural values, Khamenei manipulates collective fear to rally support and maintain loyalty.
3. Moral Obligation: Khamenei’s repeated calls for women to “protect chastity, modesty, and dignity” link obedience to morality and religion. This tactic pressures supporters to align with the regime’s views, framing dissent as both immoral and anti-Islamic.

The Role of Women: Between Tradition and Resistance

In his speech, Khamenei extolled women’s roles as homemakers, caregivers, and preservers of Islamic identity. He contrasted these ideals with what he described as “Western corruption,” accusing Western countries of exploiting women for capitalist gain under the guise of freedom.

On the surface, this rhetoric reinforces traditional gender roles. However, it also reflects the regime’s underlying fear of empowered women. Women in Iran have historically been central to movements of resistance, as seen during the widespread protests following Mahsa Amini’s death in 2022. Iranian women have defied compulsory hijab laws, taken to the streets, and mobilized on social media to demand their rights, signaling a powerful shift toward independence and self-determination.

Khamenei’s speech—by urging women to resist “temptation” and reject Western influence—indicates an effort to reclaim control. His calls for “family care in cyberspace” and “facilitating marriage” are thinly veiled attempts to redirect women’s focus away from activism and back to the private sphere, where their influence is easier to contain.

The Psychology of Compulsory Hijab

Khamenei’s adamant defense of the hijab highlights its significance as a symbol of control. Beyond its religious implications, the hijab in Iran represents the regime’s ideological authority. Resistance to compulsory hijab laws, therefore, becomes a direct challenge to that authority.

From a psychological perspective, enforcing dress codes serves as a tool for power. By regulating women’s bodies and appearance, the regime exercises control over personal autonomy and identity. For the state, the hijab is not merely a piece of clothing—it is a visual manifestation of submission and compliance.

At the same time, for women opposing this mandate, removing the hijab symbolizes freedom and defiance. The protests following Mahsa Amini’s death underscored the profound psychological impact of forced conformity. Women burning their hijabs in public sent a clear message: the psychological chains imposed by decades of control are being broken.

Khamenei’s Denial of Reality

Khamenei’s dismissal of women’s struggles, economic hardships, and systemic inequalities reflects a broader denial of reality. His statements about Iranian women “protecting their identity with modesty and chastity” ignore the lived experiences of millions of women navigating discrimination, harassment, and economic strain.

The leader’s argument that Western feminists exploit women for political purposes also reflects a fear of change. While women across the world fight for equal pay, bodily autonomy, and education, Khamenei’s rhetoric reduces feminism to a Western ploy—a narrative that oversimplifies and distorts global movements for gender equality.

Similarly, his accusations that Western “colonialists” push women into the workforce for capitalist gains overlook the harsh realities faced by Iranian women. In Iran, many women work out of necessity to support their families amidst economic sanctions, inflation, and unemployment. Khamenei’s glorification of motherhood as “an honor” disregards the struggles of single mothers, working women, and female-headed households who bear the brunt of economic hardship.

The Role of Resistance in Iran

Khamenei’s speech comes at a time of growing unrest within Iran. Women and youth have become powerful drivers of resistance, using both physical protest and digital platforms to challenge the regime. These movements represent a psychological shift: a refusal to accept decades of systemic control.

The regime’s response to dissent has been harsh, yet the psychological resilience of Iranian women remains unshaken. Women are redefining their roles in society—not as “flowers” to be protected within the family but as equal participants in public, economic, and political life.

Broader Geopolitical Messaging

Beyond addressing domestic issues, Khamenei’s speech also included references to regional conflicts, particularly Syria and the “resistance front.” By linking domestic unrest to external “enemies,” Khamenei positions Iran as a defender of regional stability against Western and Israeli interests. This messaging aims to galvanize support among loyalists while diverting attention from domestic crises.

Khamenei’s praise of Hezbollah and Hamas leaders underscores the regime’s prioritization of geopolitical influence over addressing internal grievances. The focus on Syria and Israel, while Iran grapples with economic struggles and social unrest, reflects the leadership’s determination to project strength abroad despite cracks forming at home.

A Regime on the Defensive

Ali Khamenei’s December 17 speech encapsulates the Islamic Republic’s psychological strategy to maintain control in a time of widespread discontent. By blaming external enemies, glorifying traditional gender roles, and dismissing women’s resistance, Khamenei reveals the regime’s growing fear of societal change.

Women in Iran, however, continue to resist. Their fight for freedom, equality, and autonomy poses a profound challenge to the state’s ideological foundations. As Khamenei doubles down on rhetoric steeped in control and deflection, the psychological tides are shifting. Iranian women and youth, emboldened by years of struggle, are demanding a new narrative—one built on truth, equality, and liberation.

This conflict between tradition and resistance is far from over. Khamenei’s words may attempt to suppress dissent, but the voices of Iranian women continue to grow louder, signaling an unstoppable movement toward change.