TEHRAN – While the West is trying to show a distorted image of Iranian women, the promotion of women's status in Iran and their presence in various scientific and academic fields is undeniable.

Despite all the problems and challenges that women all over the world face, they do not give up their dreams and goals and strive to be useful in society. Like many women in the world, Iranian women have also proved their capabilities in various fields and succeeded both nationally and internationally.

Since the victory of the Islamic Revolution in February 1979, Iranian women have shone in different political, social, cultural, scientific, educational, and artistic fields in both national and international arenas during the past 44 years.  

The scientific progress of Iranian women in the years after the Islamic Revolution has been very impressive.

Despite some difficulties, the Iranian female population has been provided with the opportunity to study at universities in various fields so that educated women are seen as one of the most important social assets of the country today.

In the pre-Revolution era, most of the female pupils were keen on studying art and medical sciences at universities, but nowadays, they study in all fields including engineering, mathematics, economy, and agriculture.

As of 2006, women accounted for over half of university students in Iran and 70% of science and engineering students. In 2012, according to UNESCO data, over 2 million out of 4 million students in tertiary education in Iran were females, thus marking the fifth largest female enrollment after China, India, the US and Brazil. In engineering fields, Iranian female enrollment ranked first in the world and in science fields second, after the US.

The Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei in one of his speeches on December 16, 1992 said, “… No one should propagate that by preserving one's hijab, modesty, homemaking and raising children, one cannot acquire knowledge. Thank God, today we have so many female intellectuals and scientists in various fields of our society: hardworking, intelligent, and valuable university students; high level graduates; outstanding and high-ranking physicians! Today, in the Islamic Republic of Iran, various fields of sciences are available for women…”

Iranian women have proven they can contribute greatly to the advancement of science, as 345 female researchers are on the Highly Cited Researchers list of the world.

In the previous edition of the Highly Cited Researchers revealed by Clarivate, 15 researchers were from Iranian institutions, but in the 2022 edition, 12 Iranian researchers have been included.
“For 200 years, the West has said that if women aren’t freed from moral and religious boundaries and coverings, they can’t progress and reach higher scientific, political, and social positions. Iranian women showed the falsity of this. Our female scholars work in key scientific centers,” Ayatollah Khamenei said. [July 27, 2022]

Global statistics show that 28 percent of researchers are women. It is worth mentioning that Iranian women are among those researchers, who presented much research at domestic and international levels.

The Iranian women have succeeded in playing key roles in managing startups and accelerators, facilitating groups and companies active in agriculture, industries, architecture, pharmaceutical, and economic sectors, they also shone in the entrepreneurship area.

“As for women’s issues in the Islamic Republic, in our country and society: first, I will tell you that whenever I meet with Islamic, religious, and educated women, on such occasions, I deeply thank God. The fact that there are so many knowledgeable, educated, broad-minded and outstanding women--in intellectual and practical areas--in our society is really one of the greatest glories of the Islamic Republic. This is an extremely wonderful blessing and a great source of honor,” the Leader noted. (April 19, 2014)

Iranian women have been able to achieve countless successes in various fields. It is difficult to name all these women. There are also many successful Iranian women all over the world who are famous in many fields of science and technology. A number of these women have achieved the highest honors in certain fields.