List of Iranian women

For general information about women in Iran, see Women in Iran.

This is a list of Iranian women. As one person may have contributed to more than one field, they can be categorized in multiple areas.

Nobel laureates

• Shirin Ebadi, 2003 Nobel Laureate (Peace)

Scientists and engineers

• Anousheh Ansari, First female space tourist, leading telecommunication entrepreneur, and namesake of the X Prize
• Nahid Shahmehri, Director of the Laboratory for Intelligent Information, Linköpings Universitet, Sweden.
• Saba Valadkhan, American Association for the Advancement of Science Young scientist award
• Maryam Mirzakhani, Mathematician

Academics

• Pardis Sabeti, geneticist at Harvard Medical School
• Mina Bissell, Director of UC Berkeley Life Sciences Division.
• Reihaneh Safavi-Naini, Cryptographer, professor of computer science, and head of Telecommunications and Information Technology Research Institute at University of Wollongong
• Janet Afary, Historian
• Shirin Ebadi, Lawyer, lecturer at Tehran University (2003 Nobel Laureate)
• Azar Nafisi, former lecturer at Tehran University and Johns Hopkins University
• Mehrangiz Kar, Lawyer, fellow at Harvard University
• Jaleh Amouzgar, Iranologist, Professor of Tehran University
• Lady Amin (Banoo Amin), Jurisprudent and theologian
• Elaheh Koulaei, Professor of Political sciences, Faculty of Law and Political Sciences, Tehran University
• Fatemeh Keshavarz, Chair of Asian and Near Eastern Languages and Literature Department, Professor of Persian and Comparative Literature, Washington University in St. Louis
• Camila Batmanghelidjh, Psychotherapist.
• Farzaneh Milani, Director of Studies in Women and Gender and Professor of Persian and Women Studies at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, Virginia, USA [4]
• Nayereh Tohidi, Professor and Chair of the Women's Studies Department at California State University, Northridge and Research Associate at the Center for Near Eastern Studies at UCLA, USA Dr. Nayereh Tohidi's Webpage
• Afsaneh Najmabadi, Professor of History and of Studies of Women, Gender, and Sexuality at Harvard University.
• Noushafarin Ansari, Professor at University Of Tehran, Secretary General of Children's Book Council Of Iran

Authors and poets

Roxana Shirazi, Poet, Author of Last Living Slut: Born in Iran, Bred Backstage

• Marjane Satrapi, Writer, Persepolis,Embroideries and Chicken with Plums
• Mahnaz Afkhami, Writer
• Roya Hakakian, Writer and Poet
• Lobat Vala Poet
• Moniru Ravanipor, Writer
• Mana Aghaee, Poet, Translator and Bibliographer
• Mina Assadi, Poet and author, winner of the Hellman/Hammett awards (human Rights Watch) in New York in the year of 1996
• Sousan Azadi, memoirist
• Mahshid Amirshahi, Novelist
• Farzaneh Aghaeipour, Playwright and novelist
• Simin Behbahani, Poet and 1997 Nobel prize nominee.
• Niloofar Beyzaie, Playwright and theatre director
• Simin Daneshvar, Academic, novelist and translator of literary texts from several languages into Persian
• Parvin E'tesami, Poet (classical)
• Forough Farrokhzad, Poet (modern)
• Granaz Moussavi, Poet
• Rabe'e Ghazdari, Poet
• Sheema Kalbasi, Poet
• Sholeh Wolpe, poet
• Justine Harun-Mahdavi, German-Iranian writer.
• Rosie Malek-Yonan, Author, actor and director. Author of THE CRIMSON FIELD
• Mahsati, Medieval poet
• Azadeh Moaveni, Writer and journalist
• Azar Nafisi, writer, "Reading Lolita in Tehran"
• Shahrnush Parsipur, Novelist
• Zoya Pirzad, Novelist and winner of Hushang Golshiri Award
• Tahereh Qorrat Al-'Ayn, Poet, philosopher and theologist; Seventeenth disciple or Letter of the Living of the Báb (mid 19th century)
• Mahasti Shahrokhi, Novelist
• Farzaneh Khojandi, Tajik poet
• Golrokhsar Safi Eva, National poet of Tajikistan
• Niloufar Talebi, Writer, translator, theater artist
• Shokooh Mirzadegi, Novelist, poet and social reformer

Visual and Fine Arts

• Iran Darrudi, Painter
• Mokarrameh Ghanbari, Painter
• Mansooreh Hosseini Painter
• Noreen Motamed, Painter
• Shirin Neshat, Conceptual artist
• Guity Novin, Painter, Graphic artist and the founder of Transpressionism movement in painting
• Behjat Sadr Painter
• Sara Shamsavari Visual artist,photographer, Musical artist

Artists

Googoosh won the best actress award of Persian Sepeas film festival in 1972 for Bitâ

• Baran Kosari, 25th fajr film festival awards winner
• Mahnaz Afshar, Actress
• Lily Afshar, Guitarist
• Azam Ali, Musician
• Sara Shamsavari Visual artist,photographer, Musical artist
• Behnoosh Bakhtiari, Actress
• Niloofar Beyzaie, Playwright, theatre director
• Nadia Bjorlin, Actress
• Hengameh Mofid, Film and theatre actress, director, dramatist and University professor
• Farzaneh Kaboli, a leader in the Iranian Folkloric and National Dance Art
• Nazanin Afshin-Jam, Actress, Singer/Songwriter, Human Rights Campaigner
• Shohreh Aghdashloo, Actress 2003 Oscar nominee for House of Sand and Fog
• Aryana Farshad, Cineaste and documentary film maker. Winner of "Audience Award", Telly Award, and Davey Award, 2008.
• Pegah Anvarian, Fashion Designer in L.A..
• Pegah Ahangarani, Actress and winner of Best Actress Award, 23rd Cairo International Film Festival.
• Taraneh Alidoosti, Best Actress Award Winner, Locarno International Film Festival, awarded in August 2002
• Mary Apick, Actress, Best Actress Award Winner(1977)
• Leila Arab, Musician
• Mitra Hajjar, Actress
• Soodabeh Salem, Musician, conductor
• Rakhshan Bani-Etemad, Director
• Catherine Bell, Actress JAG (Half)
• Sima Bina, Singer.
• Shiva Boloorian, Actress and play director
• Nazanin Boniadi, Actress
• Delkash (Esmat Bagherpour), Singer
• Granaz Moussavi,Film Director, Screenwriter
• Golshifteh Farahani, Actress and musician, Best Actress Award from the [22nd Nantes 3 Continents Festival and Symorgh for Best Actress from the 16th Fajr International Film Festival
• Leila Forouhar, Singer
• Googoosh, Actress, singer, songwriter
• Arefeh Mansouri, Wedding dress designer, Costume designer
• Azita Hajian, Actress, Crystal Simorgh winner for the Best Actress, the 17th Fajr International Film Festival
• Leila Hatami, Best Actress Award Locarno International Film Festival and Montreal World Film Festival (2002)
• Monika Jalili, Persian vocalist of Dutch-German origin
• Ghashang Kamkar, Musician
• Niki Karimi, Actress and director
• Anousheh Khalili, Singer-songwriter
• Merila Zarei, Award-winning actress
• Maryam Keshavarz, Director
• Hana Makhmalbaf, Director
• Samira Makhmalbaf, Director
• Marjane Satrapi, film director and graphic novelist [5]
• Shohreh Solati, Singer
• Rosie Malek-Yonan, Actor, director and writer. Rendition (2007 Release). Her most recent appearance is in the role of Farah Mir, mother of Leyla Mir, in the ABC Daytime series General Hospital
• Yassamin Maleknasr, Actress and director
• Marzieh, Singer
• Tahmineh Milani, Feminist filmmaker
• Pouran Derakhshandeh, Film director, producer, screen writer, and researcher
• Nooshafarin, Singer
• Mahin Oskouei, First female Iranian film director
• Laleh Pourkarim, Singer-songwriter
• Parisa (Fatemeh Va'ezi), Doyen of the classical-Persian singers
• Behnaz Sarafpour, Couture fashion designer in NYC
• Shakila, Singer, winner of the Persian Academy Award
• Bahar Soomekh, Actress (Crash and Saw III)
• Tamara Stronach, played the Childlike Empress in The Neverending Story
• Qamar ol-Molouk Vaziri, Queen of the Persian Music
• Mahla Zamani, Iranian fashion designer; expert on traditional Iranian dressings
• Sarah Shahi, Actress
• Hedyeh Tehrani, Actress
• Darya Dadvar, Soprano soloist and composer
• Shiva Rose, Actress and anti-war activist
• Hāni'eh Tavassoli, Actress
• Shushā Guppy, Writer, editor, and singer of Persian and Western folk-songs
• Monir Vakili, Singer of Western Opera and Persian Folk Music [6]
• Salome, Hip Hop Artist
• Zahra Amir Ebrahimi, Actress and Social Photographer
• Maryam Kavyani, Actress
• Maryam Massoumi, model[www.model.ctv.ca]

Athletes

• Leila Ebrahimi, runner
• Laleh Seddigh, autoracing and rally champion of Iran
• Aravane Rezaï, tennis player
• Janet Kohan-Sedq, runner
• Padideh Boloorizadeh, Asian Pentathlon Champion, Captain of Iranian National Volleyball team

Politicians

• Farrokhroo Parsa, Medical doctor and former Minister of Education (the first Iranian woman to became a deputy and later Minister of Education); executed in 1980, following the Iranian Revolution
• Mahnaz Afkhami, first Minister of Women's Affairs in Iran and second woman in the world to hold the position; former professor of English Literature at the National University and former Secretary General of the Women's Organization of Iran
• Sibel Edmonds, PEN/Newman's Own First Amendment Award winner [7] Iranian who effectively challenged FBI
• Azar Majedi, Communist activist and politician
• Masoumeh Ebtekar, Iranian Vice President
• Goli Ameri, United States Assistant Secretary of State for Educational and Cultural Affairs
• Christiane Amanpour, CNN's chief international correspondent
• Fatemeh Haghighatjou, former Member of Parliament
• Elaheh Koulaei, former Member of Parliament and Professor of political sciences
• Farah Karimi, Iranian female Dutch Member of Parliament.[8]
• Shahla Habibi
• Nasrin Soltankhah
• Fatemeh Javadi, Vice-President, and head of the Department of the Environment
• Professor Haleh Afshar, The Baroness Afshar, Iranian feminist academic and crossbench Peer in the British House of Lords.

Royalty

• Queen Esther, wife of Achaemenid King Ahasuerus (probably Xerxes I)
• Purandokht, Sassanid crown princess and Queen
• Hamida Banu Begum(Mariam Makani),Wife of Mughal Emperor Humayun and mother of Akbar
• Nur Jehan, Wife of Mughal Emperor Jehangir
• Seyyedeh Khatun, Ruler^{[citation needed]}
• Gauhar Shad, Queen.
• Soraya Esfandiary Bakhtiari, Former Queen
• Ashraf Pahlavi, Princess.
• Farah Pahlavi, Empress (Mohammad Reza Shah's wife)
• Leila Pahlavi, Princess
• Mumtaz Mahal, Wife of Mughal Emperor Shah Jehan and inspiration for Taj Mahal.
• Shahr-banu, Princess
• Effat Shariati, Member of Parliament, poet, author

Activists

• Mahnaz Afkhami, Human Rights and Women's Rights activist, leading figure in the international women's movement
• Nazanin Afshin-Jam, Human Rights Activist, Singer and Songwriter, 2003 Miss World 1st runner up, Miss Canada 2003
• Bibi Khatoon Astarabadi, Author and pioneer of Persian women's movement in modern Iran
• Forough Azarakhshi, Pioneer of modern education for women in Mashhad
• Parvin Darabi, Author and activist
• Sediqeh Dowlatabadi, Author and pioneer of Persian women's movement in modern Iran
• Shirin Ebadi, Human rights lawyer and judge, 2003 Nobel Laureate
• Camelia Entekhabifard, journalist and author
• Zahra Eshraghi, Feminist activist,
• Roya Hakakian, Iranian-Jewish human rights activist and author
• Faezeh Hashemi, journalist, women rights activist, and former member of Iranian parliament
• Mehrangiz Kar, Human rights lawyer and winner of the Ludovic Trarieux International Human Rights Prize
• Parvaneh Eskandari Dariush Forouhar's wife
• Sheema Kalbasi, Human Rights Activist, Author
• Zahra Kazemi, Slain political photographer
• Shahla Lahiji, Human Rights Activist
• Rosie Malek-Yonan, Actor, author and activist who testified on Capitol Hill at U.S. House of Representatives in 2006 on behalf of the Assyrians in Iraq
• Lily Mazahery, Internationally recognized lawyer and human rights activist
• Azar Nafisi, Activist and novelist (Reading Lolita in Tehran)
• Maryam Namazie, Feminist and communist and the leader of the Council of Ex-Muslims of Britain.
• Marina Nemat, Activist, past political prisoner and author.
• Maryam Rajavi, President-Elect of the National Council of Resistance of Iran
• Shadi Sadr, Feminist activist, lawyer and journalist
• Shahla Sherkat, Editor and a pioneer of women's movement in the modern Iran
• Nasrin Sotoudeh, Iranian human rights lawyer for opposition activists and politicians
• Badri Teymourtash, First female Iranian Doctor; a founder of School of Dentistry, Mashad University
• Iran Teymourtash, journalist and early activist; daughter of Abdolhossein Teymourtash

In the news

• Neda Agha Soltan, Shot during the 2009 Iranian election protests, her name quickly became a rallying cry for the opposition
• Zahra Bani Ameri, physician
• Behnaz Mozakka, died in 2005 London bombing
• Nazanin Afshin-Jam, 2003 Miss World 1st runner up, Miss Canada 2003, Human Rights Activist, Singer and Songwriter
• Ramona Amiri, Miss World Canada 2005.[9]
• Rudi Bakhtiar, TV news anchor
• Ladan and Laleh Bijani, conjoined twins
• Zahra Amir Ebrahimi
• Haleh Esfandiari, scholar, detainee [10]
• Nazanin Fatehi, controversially sentenced to death for murder.
• Nasrin Sotoudeh

Others

• Christiane Amanpour, CNN's Chief International Correspondent [11]
• Atoosa Rubenstein, founder and the editor of CosmoGirl magazine and the editor of Seventeen [12], [13]
• Zahra Rahnavard, First female chancellor of university after revolution
• Roza Montazemi , was an Iranian author of cookbooks.

References