British News Agency

The ban, reflecting a 2019 police order prohibiting dog walking in the capital Tehran, was extended last week to at least 18 additional cities. Transporting dogs in vehicles was also banned.

Since the 1979 Islamic Revolution, dog ownership has been frowned upon in Iran. Authorities regard dogs as "impure" and see them as a legacy of Western culture.

Despite efforts to curb the trend, dog ownership is growing, particularly among the youth, and is viewed as a form of rebellion against Iran’s restrictive regime.

According to local media, an official from Ilam in western Iran, where the ban is being enforced, stated on Sunday that "legal action" would be taken against violators of the new rules.

However, enforcement has been inconsistent in the past, and many dog owners continue walking their dogs in public areas in Tehran and other regions of Iran.

There is no national law explicitly banning dog ownership, but prosecutors often issue local restrictions enforced by the police.

Abbas Najafi, the prosecutor of Hamedan in western Iran, told the state newspaper *Iran*, "Dog walking is a threat to public health, peace, and comfort."

Owners are sometimes arrested for walking dogs in public and have their dogs confiscated.

Many have started walking their dogs at night or in secluded areas to avoid detection.

Politicians in the Islamic regime consider pet ownership to be un-Islamic. Many clerics view touching dogs or contact with their saliva as "najis" – ritually impure.

Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has previously described dog ownership – except for shepherding, hunting, or security purposes – as “blameworthy.”

Following the latest crackdown, critics argue that the police should focus on public safety amid rising violent crime rather than restricting personal freedoms of dog owners.

Dog ownership, participation in underground parties, and alcohol consumption have long been seen as quiet forms of resistance against Iran’s theocratic regime and its compulsory hijab laws.