Iran Teymourtash

Who was Iran Teymourtash?

Iran Teymourtāsh, the eldest daughter of Abdolhossein Teymourtāsh, is considered a pioneer among women activists in 20th-century Iran. Her father's position as the second most powerful political personality in Iran, from 1925 to 1932, afforded Iran Teymourtāsh the opportunity to play a prominent role in that country's women's affairs early in life.

Prior to her father's removal from office in 1932, she attended the American Girl's College in Tehran, and is believed to have been the first female to appear in public unveiled when she delivered the commencement address for her graduating class from high school in 1930. Shortly later, she founded an association of women with the intended goal of establishing a boarding school for destitute women. This organization would remain active in the years that followed by engaging in charitable work, and among others, establishing evening educational classes for women.

In 1931, Iran Teymourtāsh was sent abroad to attend preparatory college in London; however, after a year of attending college, she returned to Iran upon hearing that her father had been arrested on the orders of Reza Shah for having fallen out of favour. Abdolhossein Teymourtāsh was murdered in prison in 1933, and his immediate family was held under house arrest on one of its farflung estates for an extended period of time. While it was not uncommon for Reza Shah to imprison or kill previous associates or prominent politicians, the decision to impose severe collective punishment on Teymourtāsh's family was likely unprecedented during his reign. As such, Iran Teymourtāsh endured eight years of incarceration and exile with several other members of her family.