TEHRAN – Iranian defence and national security figure Ali Shamkhani has faced public backlash after a video of his daughter’s wedding went viral on social media.
The footage, reportedly filmed in April, shows Admiral Shamkhani escorting his daughter, Setayesh, into a grand wedding hall. The bride wore a strapless, low-cut gown, while Shamkhani’s wife appeared in an elegant blue lace dress with open sides and back. Several female guests were also seen without headscarves, defying Iran’s strict dress codes for women.
The daughter of Ali Shamkhani one of the Islamic Republic’s top enforcers had a lavish wedding in a strapless dress. Meanwhile, women in Iran are beaten for showing their hair and young people can’t afford to marry. This video made millions of Iranian furious. Because they… https://t.co/MAb9hNgBnN pic.twitter.com/WoRgbpXQFA
— Masih Alinejad 🏳️ (@AlinejadMasih) October 19, 2025
The video has sparked outrage among Iranians, particularly those facing economic hardship and strict social restrictions. Critics say the luxurious wedding sharply contradicts the Islamic values publicly promoted by officials like Ali Shamkhani.
Exiled Iranian activists took to social media to condemn the event. One post on X read: “The daughter of Ali Shamkhani, one of the Islamic Republic’s top enforcers, had a lavish wedding in a strapless dress. Meanwhile, women in Iran are beaten for showing their hair, and young people cannot afford to marry.”
The video highlights growing public frustration with perceived hypocrisy among Iran’s elite. Many argue that officials enforce strict social rules on ordinary citizens while enjoying privileges that contradict those same laws.
Observers say the backlash could intensify ongoing debates about inequality, privilege, and the strict enforcement of social norms in Iran. The wedding video has become a symbol for critics who question the consistency of the Islamic Republic’s policies and values.
As the video circulates widely, the Iranian public remains divided, with some defending Shamkhani’s personal family choices and others condemning what they see as a stark contrast between public enforcement and private indulgence.
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The controversy around Ali Shamkhani underscores the growing sensitivity in Iran to elite privileges and the disparity between public moral enforcement and private lives of officials.
