Women’s motorcycle licenses set for August rollout in Iran
Iran's Vice President for Women and Family Affairs Zahra Behrouz-Azar said on Tuesday that women are expected to receive motorcycle licenses in August after legal procedures are finalized, as part of a government effort to improve road safety, insurance coverage and access to formal rider training.
Behrouz-Azar said the government pursued the measure to ensure women who already use motorcycles are not left without legal licenses, certified training or insurance protection, IRNA reported.
"Women should have motorcycle licenses so they are not exposed to additional harm because they lack a license and insurance coverage," she told reporters.
She said consultations with lawmakers and religious scholars concluded that there are no legal or religious barriers to issuing motorcycle licenses for women. "Motorcycles are a means of transportation used by everyone," she said, noting that Iranian women already work as pilots and heavy-vehicle drivers.
According to Behrouz-Azar, preparations have largely been completed, although the rollout was delayed by the recent conflict, which diverted the attention of relevant authorities.
She said the planned unveiling of the first licenses had been postponed but expressed confidence that issuance would begin in August.
Rejecting suggestions that parliamentary amendments are required, Behrouz-Azar said the existing legal framework already allows implementation. "There is no legal gap. The issue can be resolved through the existing regulations and executive procedures," she said.
The vice president added that women who have won national and international motorcycle sports medals will be invited to become the first certified instructors, helping train new applicants through formal licensing programs.
Separately, Behrouz-Azar called for stronger digital literacy following a recent cyber extortion case involving girls in Iran's western Lorestan Province.
She said a criminal network used manipulated personal images to blackmail victims before being identified and arrested through coordinated action by intelligence, judicial and law enforcement authorities.
"The issue is no longer limited to extortion or unauthorized access to personal information," she said. "Artificial intelligence has many positive applications, but it can also be misused through deepfake technologies."
Meanwhile, Brigadier General Teymour Hosseini, head of Iran's Traffic Police, said the licensing plan remains on its legal track and that the force will issue licenses only after all legal procedures are completed and formal authorization is received.
He added that any future motorcycle license issued to women will follow the same national design and technical standards as licenses issued to men.