Exemplary Women from profiles EXEMPLARYFROM IRAN WOMEN more than 101 women that are highlighted in Nina Ansary’s Exemplary book Jewels of Allah: The Untold Story of . Women from Iran It is a celebration and acknowledgment of their outstanding accomplishments Exerpts from JewelsAllah: of The Untold Story of Women in Iran Ansary and advocacy on behalf of women’s empowerment.

NinaAnsary.com

Excerpted from Jewels of Allah: The Untold Story of Women in Iran by Nina Ansary Exemplary Women

from(in alphabetical Iran order)

The following are Iranian women whom Nina Ansary highlights in Jewels of Allah: The Untold Story to acknowledge and celebrate of Women in Iran their outstanding accomplishments and advocacy on behalf of women’s empowerment. Learn more or connect with Nina at NinaAnsary.com.

Revela Press , Copyright © 2015 by Nina Ansary All rights reserved.

All quotes by Nina Ansary.

Photographs and other illustrative material are either in the public domain or reproduced with permission as noted except some of which were unidentifiable for purposes of providing accurate attribution despite the publisher’s best efforts. The author and publisher accept no responsibility for inaccuracies or omissions due to the unavailability of such information and specifically disclaim any liability.

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Revela Press LLC RevelaPress.com Los Angeles, California U.S.A. “Don’t let anyone define who you are or what you should be.” —Nina Ansary 2

Championships. to winamedalatthe World Karate In 2014,Abbasali | NinaAnsar Hamideh Abbasali y became thefirst Iranian

Roslan Rahman/Collections/Getty Images Mohammad Reza ShahPahlavi. (1975–1978) during the reign of asMinisterforserved Women’s Affairs Iran’s khami secondfemale minister, Af Exemplary Women from Iran Mahnaz Afkhami Mahnaz | scu.edu/ethics/architects-of-peace/

3 4

British House of Lords. British Houseof Iranian woman formally introduced intothe (Order of theBritishEmpire) andFirst (Order of First Iranianwoman awarded the OBE | NinaAnsar Haleh Afshar Haleh y

yop rk ress.co.uk Performance. Music inGuitar a Doctorateof to earn classical guitarist and the first woman ever World-renowned, award-winning Iranian Exemplary Women from Iran Lily Afshar | L ily Afshar

5 6

the GlobalCitizenshipAward from the activist. In2007,Afshin-Jam received A notable public speaker and human-rights . Hero Award from UN Watch inGeneva, she was honored withtheHumanRights BritishColumbia,andin2009 University of | NinaAnsar Nazanin Afshin-Jam Nazanin y

the gloabeandmail.com First female orchestra conductorinIran. Nazanin Aghakhani Nazanin Exemplary Women from Iran | PogRI. r

7 8

Television andSciences. Arts to win an Emmy from the Academy of milestone by becomingthefirst Iranian Award, andin2009she hitanothercultural woman tobenominated for anAcademy 2003, Aghdashloobecamethe first Iranian A prominent stage and screen actress. In | NinaAnsar Shohreh Aghdashloo y

laphil. com/philpedia Notable Iranian journalist, award-winningNotable Iranianjournalist, that iswhen you becomethe accused.” anotherhuman.… trembles for therightof your “When heart (CHRR). Reporters HumanRights theCommitteeof of human-rights activist, andfounding member Exemplary Women from Iran Shiva Nazar Ahari Nazar Shiva | pen-international.org

9 Haideh (Aida) Ahmadzadeh Iran’s first prima ballerina.

10 | Nina Ansary courageously defyingsocietalcustomsby inIran,was imprisonedforsuffrage martyr Tahirah of women.”of like, but you cannotstopthe emancipation “Yousilk scarf. cankillme as soonyou rendition prior toherstrangulationwitha spirit ishauntingly captured inafinal appearing unveiled inpublic. Herpioneering Qurrat al-’aynQurrat Tahirah) (aka (1817–1852), considered thefirst Exemplary Women from Iran |

bahai.be 11 12 voice insideIran.” express themselves [and] theydon’t have any need their own platform. wantThey to women“These without theirheadscarves. themselves women inIrantopost photosof Stealthy Freedom” Facebook page, inviting “My for Rights andDemocracy creating Award attheGeneva Summitfor Human who received theinaugural Women’s Rights Iranian activist andaward-winning journalist

| NinaAnsar Masih Alinejad Masih y

F acebook Assistant Secretary of State. of Assistant Secretary First Iranianwoman asU.S. toserve Exemplary Women from Iran Goli Ameri Goli |

wikimedia.org 13 14 Amid-Semnani influential women’sinfluential newspapers inIran. ( ShokoufehSemnani was the founding editor of theearly women’spioneer of movement, the first inIran.Aleading female journalists

, 1913), one of theearliest andmost Blossom, 1913),oneof | NinaAnsar Maryam Amid-SemnaniMaryam is considered to be one of is considered tobeoneof y

en.wikipedia.org

their dreams.…” women andyoung girls… tonot give up hope toinspire everyone, especially young became thefirst“I Iranian woman in space. In 2006,engineerandentrepreneur Ansari Exemplary Women from Iran Anousheh Ansari |

M axim Marmur/Collections/Getty Images 15 16 2014), Iran’s largest pedestrianbridge. designed Tabiat Bridge (Nature Bridge, An award-winning architect, Araghian

| NinaAnsar Leila Araghian y

r ealiran.org “Never underestimate the ripple effect of a random act of compassion.” —Nina Ansary

Exemplary Women from Iran | 17

Parvin Ardalan Notable Iranian journalist and founding member of the One Million Signature Campaign for Equality was honored in 2007 with Sweden’s Olof Palme Prize. Ardalan dedicated her award to “all those who fight for freedom of expression in Iran.”

18 | Nina Ansary Dr. Marzieh Arfaee In 1935, Dr. Arfaee became the first woman to hold the rank of general in the Iranian military.

Exemplary Women from Iran | 19 20 547 B.C. by Cyrus the Great.547 B.C.by Cyrus theNeo-Babylonian Empire in conquest of keeping law andorder inBabylonia afterthe sheplayed role inArteshbod), acrucial (Achaemenids GeneralAryasb wife of Achaemenid Empire (550–330BC). The the Persiantime greatest Commandersof Arteshbod

| NinaAnsar Pantea Arteshbod Pantea (559 B.C.) was one of the all (559 B.C.) was one of y

i rnan-now.net oldest IQsocietyintheworld. child in IrantojoinMensa,thelargest and Three-year-old Iraniangirl who isthefirst Exemplary Women from Iran Nafas Asnavandi Nafas |

Rooholla Vahdati / ISNA.ir 21 22 international competitions.In1977, international competed inseventeen nationaland Iran’s mostfamous female equestrian a wall at2.05meters. Bakhtiar broke theIranianrecord by clearing

| NinaAnsar Golnar BakhtiarGolnar y

g hadima.com post-revolutionary Iran. asuffocating atmosphere for women in of cinematic stylecaptures thebitterrealities and screenwriter Bani-Etemad’s unique Cinema,” acclaimed internationally director Iranian “First LadyReferred of toasthe Rakhshan Bani-Etemad Rakhshan Exemplary Women from Iran |

in ra review.org 23 24 in Ahwaz. held this post at the Jundishapur University anIranianuniversity.vice-chancellor She of In 1965,Dr. Basari becamethefirst female

| NinaAnsar Dr. Ta’lat Basari y

c ommons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Talat_basari.jpg two-time Nobel nominee and recipient of two-time Nobelnominee andrecipient of Iran,”“Lioness of Referred toasthethis literature. Persian modern most celebrated figures of the livingthe greatest female poet andoneof numerous accolades andawards isconsidered Exemplary Women from Iran Simin Behbahani |

Zeynep Atamer / Persian-star.net 25 26 prisoners of conscience. prisoners of Iranianwomen, youth and and treatment of USA, focusing onthe unjust conviction spokesperson for AmnestyInternational women’s rightsactivist andofficial Prominent Iranianactress, award-winning

| NinaAnsar Nazanin Boniadi Nazanin y

nazaninbondiadi.com surrender to Alexander of Macedonia. toAlexandersurrender of she valiantly fought, resisted, anddidnot A remarkable Achaemenid noblewoman, the Achaemenid Empire (336–330BC). DariusIII,thelastkingof and motherof Cambis (381 BC) was the Empress of Persia(381 BC)was theEmpress of Exemplary Women from Iran Sissy Cambis Sissy |

pe repolis.nu 27 28 and thefirst woman inIrantopublish her regarded asIran’s premier female novelist Daneshvar birth and know the value of theircreation.” andknowbirth the value of was by women. run Women who have given “I wishtheworld stories. short collection of

| NinaAnsar Simin Daneshvar (1921–2012) was widely y

fa.wikiquote.org female Ph.D. inElectronics. in1941,Dr. DarabiwasBorn Iran’s first Exemplary Women from Iran Dr. Darabi Parvin |

E n.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parvin_Darabi 29 30 Darroudi, who studiedatÉcoledes Beaux- Darroudi, renowned Iranianpainters. contemporary fatherland’s culture.” painting inFrance, but I am rooted in my today’s“I have the culture of learned Western mysticism. with Eastern surrealism a uniquestylethatmerged elementsof and ÉcoleduLouvre inParis,Arts cultivated Darroudi

| NinaAnsar is considered one of the most is considered oneof Iran Darroudi y

sebastienisrael.com various vocal traditions. approach blurs theboundaries between in exile,” Deyhim has an elastic musical Iran’s“one of mostpotentvoices living Citedas vocalist artist. andperformance renownedInternationally Iraniancomposer, Exemplary Women from Iran Sussan Deyhim Sussan |

sussandeyhim.com 31 32 invaders. resistance against forced religion by theArab considered to be the symbol of Persian considered to bethesymbolof commander(751AD),Female guerrilla

| NinaAnsar Azad Deylami Azad y

www.pe rsia4all.com/achmaemenids.htm] my grave veiled.” “I willnever forgiveIran. anyone who visits opened thefirst school for girls inIsfahan, movement inIran.In1918,Dowlatabadi thepioneeringfigures inthewomen’sof Persian feminist andone activist, journalist Sadiqeh Dowlatabadi Exemplary Women from Iran |

W ikipedia.org 33 “Our past is the canvas that illuminates our future.” —Nina Ansary

34 | Nina Ansary Dowlatshahi In 1976,socialactivist and politician ambassador toDenmark. first female diplomatwhen shewas appointed Mehrangiz Dowlatshahi Exemplary Women from Iran (1919–2008) becameIran’s |

fis-i ran.org 35 36 discovering serioussecuritybreaches, cover- “most classified woman inthe U.S.” after (NSWBC). Edmondsis considered the National Security Whistleblowers Coalition the FBIagentA former andfounder of ups, and intentional blocking of intelligence. ups, andintentional blocking of

| NinaAnsar Sibel Edmonds Sibel y

L inda Spellers / historycommons.org Wilson Centerfor Scholars International in atthe the MiddleEastProgram Woodrow A feminist scholar andtheDirector of revolution.” “Iranians want evolutionEvin Prison. not confinementmonths insolitary in ’s Washington, DC. In2007,sheendured four Exemplary Women from Iran Dr. Esfandiari Haleh |

v ogue.com/874279 37 38 condition of Iranianculture.”condition of myinterrogate roots andquestionthe “My photographs lens. photographic her roots in , Iran, through a EshraghirediscoversIranian photographer, acclaimedInternationally award-winning

| NinaAnsar Isabelle Eshraghi Isabelle y

isabelleeshraghi.com Yasmin Fahimi In 2014, Fahimi became the first Iranian woman Secretary General of the Social Democratic Party of .

Exemplary Women from Iran | 39 Sattareh Farman Farmaian Widely regarded as the “mother of social work” after establishing the Tehran School of Social Work in 1958. This institution was the first of its kind in Iran.

40 | Nina Ansary Complex. architect, designedtheAhwaz Sports In 1974Farshid, Zohreh Malileh Farshid Zohreh Malileh Exemplary Women from Iran Iran’s youngest female |

Commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Zohreh_Malileh_Farshid 41 42 taboos including love, lustand sexuality. her strong feminist voice criticizing social and iconoclast who broke with newground Iran, 20thcentury femaleinfluential poets of Widely themost regarded as oneof

| NinaAnsar Farrokhzad was abrilliantmodernist Forough Farrokhzad Forough y

www. commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Forough.gif Championships inLondon. 2013 by competinginthe World Triathlon Iran’s first female in triathletemadehistory Exemplary Women from Iran Shirin Gerami Shirin |

Wr ar en Little/Collections/Getty Images 43 44 County Museum of Art. County Museum of Museum, and theLosAngeles and Albert including theBritish Museum,the Victoria in numerous majorpublic collections, modernity. Ghadirian’s work isrepresented in Irantrappedbetween traditionand document thechallenges faced by women Photographer Photographer

| NinaAnsar Shadi Ghadirian Shadi Ghadirian’s y stunning images

Shadi Ghadirian / oneart.org journalists of our generation.” of journalists activists, academics,andmost important “20 has beenhighlightedamong the 2008 GuggenheimFellowship, Hakakian the Documentation Center. Recipient of theIranHumanRights member of Acclaimed Iranianauthorandfounding Exemplary Women from Iran Roya Hakakian |

c nn.com 45 46 but behindclosed doors.” banned by the government is beingpracticed, young that is“Everything women in Iran. of captures the dual lives of a new generation captures thedual lives of Hayeri photographer documentary born Battleground,” twenty-six-year-old Iranian- “YourIn her2012project, Veil Isa

| NinaAnsar Kiana Hayeri Kiana y

K iana Hayeri / guernseyphotographyfestival.com during the reign of Xerxes theGreat. during thereign of business that employed alarge workforce wineand grain aflourishing for running Persian businesswoman, most notable Iradabama (488BC):Highly successful Exemplary Women from Iran Iradabama |

pe rsepolis.nu 47 48 Opera House, Tehran c.1970s. Iranian NationalBalletCompany, Roudaki Cinderella by the of Kaboli inaperformance

| NinaAnsar Sarvar Kaboli Sarvar y

pe rsian.fi ethnic andreligious minorities. distinguished by herpassionatedefense of Iranianheritage, Kalbasi’spoets work of is the few figures literary to promote of activist, filmmaker. anddocumentary One Award-winning Iranianpoet, human-rights Exemplary Women from Iran Sheema Kalbasi Sheema |

wikiwand.com/en/Negar_Assari 49 50 want themto know itispossible.” theywantwomen to, they can.I toknow if Opening Ceremony, Kalhorstated,“Iwant atthe2010 country Vancouver Olympics in Winter Olympics history. Leadingher Alpine skierandthefirst Iranianwoman

| NinaAnsar Marjan Kalhor Marjan y

L eonhard Foeger/Reuters “There is no resolution in war, no glory in violence, and no redemption with injustice.” —Nina Ansary

Exemplary Women from Iran | 51 52 past. theheard works by Iranian composers of rangingfrom classicalrepertoire, torarely- Kamangar is renowned for herdiverse and ’s Royal Music, Academy of of pianist. Agraduate World-class Iraniancomposerandclassical

| NinaAnsar Tara Kamangar y

L isa Mazzucco / new.livestream.com woman electedtotheDutch Parliament. In 1998,Karimibecamethefirst Iranian Exemplary Women from Iran Farah Karimi |

denhaagdirect.nl 53 54 chaired adebate onIranian Women’s Day. Children and AIDS, andmore recently theGlobal Campaign on in thelaunch of Ambassador. Keramati hassince taken part was appointedUNICEFGoodwill In 2006,acclaimed Iranianactress Keramati

| NinaAnsar Mahtab KeramatiMahtab y

faraznews.com politically subversive.” Award.“In Iran,anything illegal becomes coveted SundanceFilmFestival Audience Film attheRome FilmFestival andthe received over adozen awards, including Best whose 2011 narrative feature Circumstance Critically acclaimed Iranianfilmmaker Exemplary Women from Iran Maryam KeshavarzMaryam |

Roadside Attractions 55

Najmeh Khedmati In 2014, eighteen-year-old Iranian female sport shooter Khedmati won the Gold Medal at the Women’s 10m Air Rifle shooting competition at the Asian Games.

56 | Nina Ansary itself.” “For for me the equality struggle is life Million Signature Campaignfor Equality. theOne activist andfounding memberof women’sNotable Iranianjournalist, rights Noushin Ahmadi Khorasani Noushin Exemplary Women from Iran |

shahg r on.com/fa/wp-content 57 58 over twenty-two provinces. Iran, where thousandscurrentlypracticein becoming apopularactivity withwomen in isfastNinjutsu, aJapanese sport, martial

| NinaAnsar Lady Ninjas ofIran Ninjas Lady y

Sharq Parsi publisher’s licenseinherown name. was thefirst Iranian woman tosecure a house Roshangaran Press (1985),Lahiji prominent publishing As thefounder of Exemplary Women from Iran Shahla Lahiji |

i ranianstudies.ca 59 60 Film Festival for herfilm Blackboard. for the prestigious Palme d’OrattheCannes was theyoungest director ever tocompete In 2000,Iranianfilmmaker Makhmalbaf

| NinaAnsar Samira Makhmalbaf Samira y

Ir anians.kodoom.com/en/samira_makhmalbaf Dr. Manouchehrian Mehrangiz senators inIran. two women appointedasthefirst femaleof first female lawyer, andin1963, shewas one In 1947,Dr. Manouchehrian becomesIran’s Exemplary Women from Iran |

Citytomb.com/biography/fa/Mehrangiz_Manouchehrian 61 62 conforming.” unafraid. Decisive women who are non- “My designsare created forClaire the. magazines including Vogue, Elle, and productions and featured in fashion have beenshowcased inmajorHollywood “avant-gardedesigner, whose masterpieces” Award-winning Iranianfashion andcostume

| NinaAnsar Arefeh Mansouri y Marie

imdb.m co challenge society.” Imake“When amovie, my aim is to women’s lives underanoppressive regime. numerous controversial features showcase Feminist Iranianfilmmaker Milani’s Exemplary Women from Iran Tahmineh Milani |

seemog. r h com 63

64 scientists and .…” it encourages young femalebe happy if Upon receiving theaward,“I will shesaid, .”“Nobel Prizeof known asthe first woman toever wintheFieldsMedal, University professor Mirzakhani In 2014,IranianmathematicianandStanford

| NinaAnsar Maryam Mirzakhani Maryam y became the

dailymail.co.uk activist filmmaker andprominent women’s rights In 2014,award-winning Iraniandocumentary and afilmmaker: sufficient tobearrested.” “I ambothawomanyear prison sentence. Mohammadi Mahnaz Mohammadi Mahnaz Exemplary Women from Iran began serving afive-began serving |

M ary Amsinaiee / en.wikipedia.org 65 66 actually my difference.” is acreative field …andmy strength is “Architecture Cleveland. Art Contemporary including the mirror-clad Museumof numerous critically acclaimed projects, Architecture,”the Face of hasco-authored “Five chosenWomen asoneof Changing Award-winning Iranianarchitect recently

| NinaAnsar Farshid Moussavi y

Vale rie Bennett / mocacleveland.org left Iranbut Irandidnotleave me.” “Ibeen living inexile intheUnitedStates. Memoir inBooks. Since1997,Dr. Nafisi has Times critically NewYork acclaimed long-running the Prominent professor andauthorof bestseller Exemplary Women from Iran Dr. Nafisi Azar Reading Lolita in Tehran: A |

v eeoz.com 67 “You will never find what lies deep within if you choose to remain in shallow waters.” —Nina Ansary

68 | Nina Ansary championship inmotocross. In 2009,shewon Iran’s first-ever female Naraghi Exemplary Women from Iran is anIranianmotocross racer. Noora Naraghi Noora |

hookit.com/members/noora/ 69 70 prestigious literary GrinzaneCavourprestigious literary Prize. inaugural HumanDignityAward andItaly’s theEuropean Parliament’srecipient of memoir, best-selling the international Author of

| NinaAnsar Prisoner of Tehranof . Prisoner Marina Nemat Marina y Nemat is the

Kuna.ca who prayed for metoachieve success.” thepeople “all of dedicated hermedalto Games. Paralyzed Nemati inanearthquake, in archery at the 2012 London Paralympic First Iranianwoman towinaGoldMedal Exemplary Women from Iran Zahra Nemati Zahra |

Hr ar y Engels/Collections/Getty Images 71 72 is a form of resistance.” of is aform my own isourweapon, culture people… art being the voice, the speaker of position of inthe “An finds herself like myself artist alifeparadoxes inexile. andcomplexities of and awards for hercreations reflecting the numerous accolades and therecipient of acclaimedInternationally Iranianvisualartist

| NinaAnsar Shirin Neshat Shirin y

Si h rin Neshat / en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shirin_Neshat Mahin Oskouei A pioneering figure in theater arts, Oskouei was Iran’s first stage actress and first female theatre director.

Exemplary Women from Iran | 73 74 Iran tobeissuedahelicopter license. Iran,was the first woman inlate Shahof MohammadReza Pahlavi,Half-sister of the

| NinaAnsar Princess FatemehPrincess Pahlavi y

AP / Iranian.com/archives and disaster relief efforts. and disasterrelief youth hospitals, orphanages, activities, of hundredsorganization, supported thegroup Cross. Asthe country’s largest charitable the Red LionandSunSociety, Iran’s Red Redinternational Cross leader, shebuilt Iran.An thelateShahof Elder sisterof Princess ShamsPahlaviPrincess Exemplary Women from Iran |

pa rstimes.com/women/pahlavi 75 76 Mohammad Reza ShahPahlavi. (1962–1979) during the reign of Education as Minister of 1980) served Iran’s first female ministerParsa

| NinaAnsar Farokhroo Parsa Farokhroo y (1922–

i ranian.com Honor award. ’s prestigious Chevalier of Legion In 2014,Iraniannovelist Pirzad Exemplary Women from Iran Zoya Pirzad received |

Raphael Gaillared/Collections/Getty Images 77 78 work in this field.” to show thatIranianwomen are alsoable to Wegetting authorization toperform.… aim Revolution“We (1979). spentthree years live inIran sincetheIslamic inconcert First all-female Iranianpopbandtoperform

| NinaAnsar y Polaris

Zah ra Ramezani / honaronline.ir color.…” black inthedark,doesn’t meanthere isno the Producer of Year.“Just becauseitis the of Year, the Newcomer of Year, and multiple Swedish Grammys including Artist music scene,Pourkarim hasbeenawarded Since her2005debut ontheScandinavian Iranian singer-songwriter and producer. Exemplary Women from Iran Laleh Pourkarim Laleh |

J essica Lund 79 80 nominated asU.S. ambassadortoSweden. woman, aswell asthefirst female, tobe In 2014,Raji

| NinaAnsar Azita Raji Azita y became thefirst Iranian

s vd.se , Iran. onlyThe female fire Exemplary Women from Iran Sheyma Rashidi ­ f ighter in the city of ighter inthecityof |

alahwaz.info 81 82 Marjan. first Iranianwoman to direct a feature film, In 1956,Riahi

| NinaAnsar Shahla Riahi (1926–present) becamethe y

festi valofarts.com/actors to resist“Your thepressure tobeperfect. Rubenstein isastrong advocate for girls “Topthe 250Alumni” through theages, 2004 by ColumbiaUniversity asoneof CosmoGirl. founding editorof Seventeen of editor-in-chief Former and thecontribution you make tohumanity.” personyou are isaboutthekindof greatness Atoosa Behnegar Rubenstein Behnegar Atoosa Exemplary Women from Iran Honored in and the |

an g vari.or /iran 83 84 States. woman appointedas judge intheUnited In 1993,Sabet

| NinaAnsar Shahla Sabet Shahla y became thefirst Iranian

iawfoundation.org “Fight hatred with love, war with peace, and sin with absolution.” —Nina Ansary

Exemplary Women from Iran | 85 86 living geniuses.” “Top the 100 Sabeti hasbeen namedoneof Smithsonian magazine’s Ingenuity Award, Harvard MedicalSchool andrecipient of rock Days. of bandThousand Agraduate thecritically acclaimed alternative singer of Iranian computationalgeneticist andlead

| NinaAnsar Dr. Pardis Sabeti y

pbs.og r /wgbh/nova/sciencenow/ and seclusion. to change her name and live in anonymity thetime.Shehad the conservative culture of (1934), shesuffered socialostracismfrom the heroine Golnar inthefilm LorGirl in thePersian language. Famous for playing the star actress in the first sound film made Iranian actress Saminejad Roohangiz Saminejad Roohangiz Exemplary Women from Iran (1916–1997) was |

E n.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roohangiz_Saminejad 87

Pourandokht Sassanid (aka Buran) First woman to become queen of the Persian Empire (629–632). Daughter of Khosrow Parviz II, the King of the Sassanian Empire (590–628). Pourandokht, who preached egalitarianism, infamously wrote in a letter to her troops, “A monarch, regardless of being a queen or king, must defend his or her land and treat the people with justice.” 88 | Nina Ansary women.” studentsare that mendo. Andyet 66%of the rights of that in Iran women have half novelbest-selling graphic Persepolis“It’s. true author of the internationally acclaimed theinternationally author of Academy Award-nominated director and Exemplary Women from Iran Marjane Satrapi |

gr adesaver.com 89 90 Literature at Tehran University. Russian Language andComparativechair of female professor when shewas awarded the In 1942,Dr. Sayyah becameIran’s first

| NinaAnsar Dr. Fatemeh Sayyah y

zamaaneh.com Championships inManila,Philippines. meter record attheAsian Track andField wins theBronze medalby settingthe1.60- In 1973,Iranianfemale highjump star Exemplary Women from Iran Maryam Sedarati Maryam |

spo rtestan.com 91 92 I amrooted here inthissoil.” remain …inthisplace,my .… “But Ishallstill and oppression inIran. 2012, Sedighi’s poems pain,suffering, depict prestigious Hellman/Hammett grant inprestigious Hellman/Hammett grant the HumanRights Recipient of Watch’s Renowned Iranian poet andfemale activist.

| NinaAnsar Hila Sedighi y

na vahang.com Federation.” for financial (Iran’s) support of Table Tennis female national table tennisplayers isalack fundamentalproblem“The facing London. table tennis atthe 2012 Olympic Games in firstThe Iranianwoman tocompetein Exemplary Women from Iran Neda Shahsavari Neda |

ITTFm .co 93 94 women and menshare the samerightby law.” will only women’s accept situation when women isacceptable. the situationof We and culture, but forart thatwe cannotsay so many successfulwomen inthe fields of Signatures Campaign for Equality.“We have founding member of the 2006 One Million founding member of Leading Iranianwomen’s rights activist and

| NinaAnsar Mansoureh Shojaee Mansoureh y

i ranjournal.org/politik Abu Reihan Observatory. Pahlaviand first University’s codirector of Iran’s first professional female astronomer Exemplary Women from Iran Dr. Solhju Shahla |

pa rstimes.com/fashion/pre_revolution 95 96 iconic symbol of Iran’siconic symbolof struggle. the 2009 presidential elections made her an whose shooting deathfor protest against courageous silencefor thebeautifuland A momentof

| NinaAnsar Neda Agha Soltan Soltan y (1983–June 2009),

Caspian Makan/AP (Lieutenant General). Ashkanid’s GeneralSepahbod the rankof the Parthian (Ashkanid)Empire, Suraheld Ardavan the daughterof V, thelastkingof genius,history. and military A strategical Persian heroines thegreatest of One of Exemplary Women from Iran Sura ofParthia Sura |

c hess.com/groups/view/artemis 97 98 which women are vastly underrepresented. in cybercriminals inabooming industry hacker securityatGoogle Chrome, Iranian of Google’s“Security Princess”:Ashead

| NinaAnsar Tabrizi Parisa Tabrizi protects thetech giantfrom y

inspi ral.ly the Iranianculture ontheworld stage. theatrical pieces designed to pay homage to behindmultimediaprojects andvisionary community, Talebi isthecreator and translation prizesfrom theinternational numerous theater artist. recipient of The Award-winning Iranianlibrettist, poet, and Exemplary Women from Iran Niloufar TalebiNiloufar |

J ose Diaz / MelissaImages.com 99 100 New York Times, publishing work inNational Geographic, the sixteen, attheage of photojournalist photo Tavakolian beganhercareer asa Self-taught biased restrictions. to overcomeIran andtheir struggle gender- women in document theevolving role of magazine. Tavakolian’s captivating images

| NinaAnsar Newsha TavakolianNewsha Le Monde, y grapher ­grapher Newsweek, and Newsha Time

N ewsha Tavakolian / princeclausfund.org Effat Tejaratchi In 1939 Tejaratchi became the first Iranian woman to earn a pilot license using a Tiger Moth aircraft.

Exemplary Women from Iran | 101 “Let the desire to make a difference become the opiate of your mind, body, and soul.” —Nina Ansary

102 | Nina Ansary at the University of at theUniversity of Tehran. Geophysics the Instituteof of observatory thesolar professor andfounding member of Dr. Terian was Iran’s first female physics Iranian Astronomy,” Modern “Mother of Iran’s first female physicist. Referred toasthe Exemplary Women from Iran Dr. Terian Alenush |

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alenush_Terian 103 104 School of Dentistry. School of Mashad University’sfounding membersof Iran’s the first female dentistandoneof

| NinaAnsar Badri TeymourtashBadri y

Commons.wikimedia.org editor of anIraniannewspaper. editor of Teymourtash was thecountry’s first female A pioneeramongwomen activists, Exemplary Women from Iran Iran TeymourtashIran |

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iran_Teymourtash 105 106 I amstillhopeful for thefuture.” Youme.… can’t hidethediscrimination.But “As a female sprinter, there isnofuture for at the2012AsianIndoorChampionships. in the400mrelay, andGoldMedalwinner sprinter Fastest“The Known as Woman inIran,”

| NinaAnsar Tousi Maryam TousiMaryam is theIranianrecord holder y

P arsino.ir others in Tehran’s famed Hall. in La Boheme, Violetta asMadameButterfly,performances Mimi in Iran. A pioneer in the true sense,shegaveIran. Apioneerinthetrue the first opera company1983) started in Celebrated operasinger Vakili Exemplary Women from Iran Monir VakiliMonir La Traviata, andmany (1923– |

desi gnator.ir 107 108 social activism. Medal inrecognition for achievements in the QueenElizabethIIDiamond Jubilee global audience. In 2013, she was awarded rights infractionsby theIslamicregimetoa Persian2English.com, ablog exposing human political prisoners,Yazdi isthefounder of human-rights activist andheroine toIran’s renowned internationally The Iranian

| NinaAnsar Maryam Nayeb YazdiMaryam y

Ca o rlos Os rio / thestar.com from Heaven. bikini, inthe1959Persian film Messenger The was thefirst Iranianactress toappearina “Iren”Regarded Iran, astheElizabethTaylor of Exemplary Women from Iran Irene Zazians |

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irene_Zazians 109 110 their uniforms: their uniforms: Tehran, c.1950s. Iranian Girl Scoutsprepare for aparadein

| NinaAnsar y

Ir anian.com/archives practice, c.late1950s. engagedan inthenorthwest) intarget Iranian women from Malayer (nearHama - Exemplary Women from Iran |

S hahyar Mahabadi / kavehfarrokh.com 111 112 Iran: Women’s orchestra, c. 1960.

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fis-i ran.org/en/galleries/women Female Pilot:Iran,c.1960s. Exemplary Women from Iran |

pa rstimes.com/fashion/pre_revolution 113 114 Tehran, c.1970s. Imperial Iranianfemale policeofficers:

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i ranpoliticsclub.net Women Iran, c.1970s. parliamentarians of Exemplary Women from Iran |

fis-i ran.org 115 Female motorcycle officers: Tehran, c. 1970s.

116 | Nina Ansary 1970s. Imperial Iranianfemale naval officer, c. Exemplary Women from Iran |

pa rstimes.com/women/pahlavi 117 Imperial Iranian female military rifle train- ing, c. 1970s.

118 | Nina Ansary “Your moral compass should always be pointed in the direction of peace, resolution, and humanity.” —Nina Ansary

Exemplary Women from Iran | 119 120 Pahlavi era: Tehran, c. 1970. the Imperial female AirForce cadetof

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i ranpoliticsclub.net Games. theGoldMedalat1974Asian ners of Iranian The Women’s Fencing Team, win- Exemplary Women from Iran |

pa rstimes.com/sports/women/history 121 Exemplary Women from Iran profiles EXEMPLARYFROM IRAN WOMEN more than 101 women that are highlighted in Nina Ansary’s Exemplary book Jewels of Allah: The Untold Story of Women in Iran. Women from Iran It is a celebration and acknowledgment of their outstanding accomplishments Exerpts from JewelsAllah: of The Untold Story of Women in Iran Ansary and advocacy on behalf of women’s empowerment.

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Excerpted from Jewels of Allah: The Untold Story of Women in Iran by Nina Ansary