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MAY 24, 2004
Iran: No Longer A No-Woman's Land It was Iran's biggest-ever stock market transaction. At the Tehran Stock Exchange in late January, a frenzied bidding war broke out as the government auctioned off a 35% stake in its state-owned SADRA shipping group. In the middle of the two-hour auction, the exchange's computer crashed, stopping the proceedings for 15 minutes. But the sale went on to fetch $500 million. And it wasn't just the size of the deal that drew attention: Female brokers Mahnaz Sadegh-Nobari and Simindokht Mirdamadi landed the lucrative business. Women are playing increasingly prominent roles in Iran, and business and industry are no exceptions. A sizable female contingent populates the trading desks at the Tehran exchange. Women are big players in information-technology companies. Some are even penetrating the most traditional male bastions, such as heavy industry. "Women are a gold mine because of their honesty, their hard work, and the care they take in their work," says Shahin Khalili, chairman of Butane Industrial Group, a large family conglomerate. The rise of women in Iranian business could have profound social implications. Women, who have faced harsh restrictions in the Islamic Republic, are key supporters of reform. As they gain power and money, they are bound to push for greater civil liberties and more accountability. They are also likely to bring new ideas and energy to the economy. Businesswomen say that over the past few years attitudes toward their presence in factories and offices have changed dramatically as more women have taken jobs and proved their worth. Nazila Noebashari says that 20 years ago, when she was drafted at the age of 18 to take over the management of the family shipping firm, Traf Co., from her ailing father, she was a great curiosity. "Everyone knew where I went," she says, and she was barred from entering Iran's main port, Bandar Abbas. Now, she says, the industry is full of women. Worklife has also improved for Simin Rezaeifar, who supervises paint quality at Saipa Corp., Iran's second-largest auto maker. In the early days on the job, she says, she used to hear snide comments. But recently her career got a boost when she was sent on two foreign training courses. "These are good omens," she says. Iranian women are a determined group, outperforming men on the entrance exams to Iran's universities. In 2002-03, some 53% of the students admitted to universities were women. The Islamic regime has inadvertently aided the feminist cause by requiring women to wear Islamic dress. The practice has helped convince traditionalist parents to permit their daughters to attend universities, which used to be perceived as centers of hedonism. Successful women are trying to help their less fortunate sisters learn business skills. For instance, the Mehr Foundation, founded by Khalili's sister, Mansoureh, provides small loans and counseling to would-be entrepreneurs such as Motahreh Fathi, who prepares herbs and candied fruit for sale in Tehran shops. "Nothing can stop the women's movement now," says Parto Vatamahadi, a foundation staffer. That's certainly how things look in today's Iran.  By Stanley Reed in Tehran, with Babak Pirouz
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