A cultural issue going to far

Funny, I've spent my entire life in a Western culture, and neither I nor anyone I've ever known has fancied eyes to be as important to interpersonal contact as you're trying to make out. In fact, I quite honestly find it to be quite odd and rather daft when someone incessantly stares at you're eyes when they're talking to you, it can be very distracting. But that's my personal preference , and yours is your own. Some of us like to ogle, and some don't, but it's certainly not a universal "fun fact" about western culture - it's different strokes for different folks. Frankly your misconceptions about Iran are quite astounding, Have you ever even seen Iranian women? Many of them -especially the younger generation- do not even strictly adhere to moderate Muslim standards of Hijab (covering the hair, concealing the body form) let alone cover up their faces in public. Ah But alas, such misconceptions abound in a society that worships the rubbish factory oracle of Rupert Murdoch. (In any case the death penalty is not administered in Iran for such trivial infractions.)

The fundamental issue here is whether the subject's personal right to freely practice her religion without fear of coercion is being violated. Any country that would would like to call itself civilised must respect that right.