Banning Iranian women from working as waitresses to preserve their modesty will only deepen female unemployment, an Iran vice president said of the latest effort to make women less visible in the workplace. “We need to approach this matter with care,” said Shahindokht Molaverdi, the vice president for women’s affairs, according to the official Islamic Republic News Agency. “To close the road for these women without providing any other options in return will make them prey to social difficulties.”

Police commander Khalil Helali announced last week that Iranian women “by law” aren’t permitted to work in public areas of tea houses, coffee shops and restaurants, ‘Shargh’ newspaper reported. They may work in other areas, ‘ Etemaad’ newspaper said. Attempts to restrict the presence of women in the workplace come at a time when one of five Iranian women is jobless.

– Bloomberg