Immodest dressing of women causes rivers to run dry, says Iranian cleric

Tehran, Iran: Sparking a controversy on women's rights, an Iranian cleric said that improper veiling and dressing of women causes rivers to run dry and has a negative impact on the environment.

According to a report in the Independent, Seyyed Youssef Tabatabi-nejad who heads the Friday prayers in the Iranian city of Isfahan said that the country's morality police should crackdown on women who do not follow Islamic dressing.

Speaking on women's clothing, Seyyed said that European-style dress was having a bad impact on the local environment. “My office has received photos of women next to the dry Zayandeh-rud River pictured as if they are in Europe. It is these sorts of acts that cause the river to dry up even further,” Seyyed was quoted as saying by a news agency.

“If we see a sin it’s useless that we only bicker about it. The police force can use the Hezbollahi forces in carrying out their operations to root out vice,” he said.

Taking a dig at Seyyed's remarks, a member of National Council of Resistance of Iran said that, “This reflects the typical mindset of the theocratic regime ruling Iran which is no different to the culture of the Islamic State terror group.”

Seyyed has previously made controversial remarks, saying that women should stay at home while their husbands go to work.