TEHRAN, July 22, 2007 (AFP) - Iran is to launch a new crackdown Monday, July 23 on slack dressing that targets both men and women whose clothing and haircuts are deemed to be unIslamic, police said.

Iranian policemen warn young women about their clothing and hair - Photo : Atta Kenare/AFP

"The police will act against those whose trousers are too short, have skin-tight coats, shirts with Western logos and Western hairstyles," said Ahmad Reza Radan, the head of Tehran's police force.

"We will ask those arrested where they bought their clothes and where they had their hair cut so those outlets can be closed down," state broadcasting's website quoted him as saying.

Radan said anyone arrested would receive a warning and have their name added to a list. "If they reoffend, there will be no pardon."

Since the drive began in April, thousands have been warned and hundreds arrested across Iran for failing to adhere to the country's Islamic dress code, its toughest such crackdown in years.

Women in Iran are obliged to cover all bodily contours and their heads but in recent years many have pushed the boundaries by showing off bare ankles and fashionably styled hair beneath their headscarves.

Some women still don figure-hugging coats and skimpy headscarves despite the April crackdown. By renewing the drive, it appears the police want to send a message that they are serious about enforcing the dress rules.

Many conservatives have applauded the crackdown as important to protect the security of society, but moderates have publicly questioned whether Iran would be better off tackling poverty and crime rather than slack dressing.