Iran's Beauty Queens Past and Present

Taraneh Keysar - 1978

Taraneh Keysar - 1978

Taraneh Keysar - 1978

Taraneh Keysar - 1978

Taraneh Keysar - 1978

Taraneh Keysar & Miss Iran Finalists - 1978

Taraneh Keysar - 1978

Taraneh Keysar & Miss Iran Finalists - 1978

Taraneh Keysar - 1978

Taraneh Keysar - 1978

Taraneh Keysar - 1978

1978 Miss Iran finaslist

1978 Miss Iran Competition

Googoosh - 1978 Miss Iran pageant

Haydeh, Homayra & Nasrin perform at the Miss Iran 1978 pageant

Vigen, Shaharam & Sattar perform at the Miss Iran 1978 pageant

1978 Miss Iran Competition held at Tehran Hilton

1978 Miss Iran Competition held at Tehran Hilton

Minoo Jafarian - 1978 Miss Intelligence

Miss Iran Finalists - 1978

Miss Iran Finalists - 1978

Miss Iran Finalists at an Amusement Park - 1978

Miss Iran Finalists at an Amusement Park - 1978

Miss Iran Finalists at an Amusement Park - 1978

Miss Iran Finalists at an Amusement Park - 1978

Miss Iran Finalists at an Amusement Park - 1978

Miss Iran Candidates - 1978

Miss Iran Candidates - 1978

Miss Iran Finalists - 1978

Miss Iran Finalists outside Iranian Parliament - 1978

Afsaneh Bani Ardalan - 1977

Afsaneh Bani Ardalan - 1977

Afsaneh Bani Ardalan - 1977

Afsaneh Bani Ardalan - 1977

Afsaneh Bani Ardalan - 1977

Miss Iran 1977 Finalists

Miss Iran 1977 Finalists

Miss Iran 1977 Finalists

Miss Iran 1977 Finalists - 1977

Miss Iran 1977 Finalists

Afsaneh Bani Ardalan - 1977

Afsaneh Bani Ardalan - 1977

Miss Iran 1977 Competiton - 1977

Miss Iran 1977 Finalist

Googoosh performs at the Miss Iran 1977 pageant

Miss Iran 1977 Competition

Miss Iran Finalists 1977

Miss Iran Finalists 1977

Miss Iran Finalists 1977

Miss Iran Invitation 1977

Jelveh Palizban - 1976

Jelveh Palizban - 1976

Jelveh Palizban - 1976

Jelveh Palizban - 1976

Jelveh Palizban - 1976

Jelveh Palizban - 1976

Jelveh Palizban - 1976

Miss Iran Finalist 1976

1976 Pageant

Jelveh Palizban & Farah - 1976

Miss Iran Finalists 1976

Miss Iran Finalists 1976

Miss Iran Finalists 1976

Afsaneh Bayegan, runner-up 1976

Afsaneh Bayegan, runner-up 1976

Miss Iran Finalists 1975

Shohreh Nikpour - First in the 1975 Miss Teenage Intercontinental pageant

Shohreh Nikpour - 1975

Shohreh Nikpour - 1975

Shohreh Nikpour & Miss Iran Finalists - 1975

Miss Iran Finalists in traditional costume - 1975

Miss Iran Finalists in traditional costume - 1975

Miss Iran Finalist Elham Sabeti - 1975

Miss Iran Finalist Shirin Pakravan - 1975

Miss Iran Finalists in traditional costume - 1975

Shohreh Nikpour - 1975

Shohreh Nikpour - 1975

Shohreh Nikpour - 1975

Shohreh Nikpour - 1975

Shohreh Nikpour & Farah - 1975

Shohreh Nikpour & Finalists - 1975

Soheila Jorjani - Miss Iran 1974

Miss Iran Finalists 1974

Miss Iran Finalists 1974
 Miss Iran Finalists 1974

Sousan Hakima - 1973

Sousan Hakima - 1973

Sousan Hakima - 1973

Sousan Hakima - 1973

Miss Iran Finalists 1973

Miss Iran Finalists 1973

Miss Iran Finalists riding motorcycles

Miss Iran Contestants

Miss Iran Contestants

Roya Rohani Moghaddam, Miss Universe 1972, 2nd runner up

Roya Rohani Moghaddam

Roya Rohani Moghaddam

Roya Rohani Moghaddam

Roya Rohani Moghaddam

Roya Rohani Moghaddam
Roya Rohani Moghaddam VOA PNN Interview

Roya Rohani Moghaddam wearing traditional costume

Roya Rohani Moghaddam & Miss Teen Finalists in Turkey

Sousan Hakima, Miss Teen World, Roya Rohani Moghaddam

Roya Rohani Moghaddam with Miss Teen Finalist in Turkey

Miss Iran Finalists 1972

Miss Iran Finalists 1972

20 Finalists selected for the 1971 Miss Iran

Miss Iran Finalists 1971

Miss Iran Finalists 1971

Mahvash Sobhi - Miss Iran 1971

Mahvash Sobhi - Miss Iran 1971

Mahvash Sobhi - Miss Iran 1971

Mahvash Sobhi - Miss Iran 1971

Mahvash Sobhi & International Teen Princess contestants

Mahvash Sobhi - Miss Iran 1971

Mahvash Sobhi - Miss Iran 1971

Miss Iran Judges

Miss Iran Finalists 1971

Mahvash Sobhi

Mahvash Sobhi - Miss Iran 1971

Nasrin Afshar Azadi - 2nd runner up Miss Iran 1971

Miss Iran Finalists 1971

Miss Iran Contestants 1971

Miss Iran Contestants 1971

Miss Iran Contestants 1971

Miss Iran Contestants 1971

Miss Iran Contestants 1971

Miss Iran Contestants 1971

Miss Iran Invitation 1971 - Zan-e Rooz Magazine

Sholeh Zand - 1970

Sholeh Zand - Miss Iran 1970

Sholeh Zand - Miss Iran 1970

Finalists 1970

Miss Teen Finalists 1970

Rita Jebelli - Miss Iran 1969

Rita Jebelli - Miss Iran 1969

Rita Jebelli - Miss Iran 1969

Rita Jebelli - Miss Iran 1969

Rita Jebelli - Miss Iran 1969

Rita Jebelli - Miss Iran 1969

Rita Jebelli - Miss Iran 1969

Miss Iran Candidates 1969

Elaheh Azodi - Miss Teenage International 1968

Elaheh Azodi

Elaheh Azodi - 1968

Elaheh Azodi - 1968

Elaheh Azodi - 1968

Elaheh Azodi - 1968

Elaheh Azodi - 1968

Elaheh Azodi - 1968

Miss Iran 1968 Finalists

Manijeh Etemadi selected as the most stylish finalist - 1968

Elaheh Azodi & Finalists - 1968

Elaheh Azodi - 1968

Zan-e Rooz editor Forough Mesbahzadeh & Elaheh Azodi - 1968

Elaheh Azodi - 1968

Elaheh Azodi - 1968

Elaheh Azodi - 1968

Elaheh Azodi - 1968

Elaheh Azodi - 1968

Elaheh Azodi - 1968

Elaheh Azodi - 1968

Elaheh Azodi - 1968

Elaheh Azodi & Miss Teen World Finalists - 1968

Elaheh Azodi & Farah - 1968

Miss Iran Finalists - 1968

Miss Iran Finalists - 1968

Miss Iran Finalists - 1968

Miss Iran Finalists - 1968

Miss Iran Finalists - 1968

Miss Iran Finalists 1968 & 1967

Shahla Vahabzadeh - 1967

Shahla Vahabzadeh - 1967

Shahla Vahabzadeh - Third place in the Teen Princess Pageant in Chicago 1967

Shahla Vahabzadeh - 1967

Shahla Vahabzadeh - 1967

Shahla Vahabzadeh - 1967

Shahla Vahabzadeh - 1967

Shahla Vahabzadeh - 1967

Miss Iran Finalists 1967

Miss Iran Finalists 1967

Miss Iran Finalists 1967

Miss Iran Finalists - 1966

Mitra Nikanpour - 1966

Mitra Nikanpour - 1966

Mitra Nikanpour (L) - 1966

Mitra Nikanpour - 1966

Mitra Nikanpour - 1966

Mitra Nikanpour - 1966

Mitra Nikanpour - 1966

Mitra Nikanpour - 1966

Mitra Nikanpour in Chicago - 1966

Miss Iran Finalists - 1966

Miss Iran Finalists - 1966

Sima Izadjou - 1965

Sima Izadjou - 1965

Sima Izadjou - 1965

Miss Iran Logo
The Miss Iran Pageant was formally started by Zan-e Rooz Magazine in 1965. The teen beauty pageant was scrapped after the revolution for obvious reasons. The former regime aimed at portraying Iran as a modern state and open to the world even though most Iranians were traditonal, conservative and resistant to change. The beauty pageants and the women's sports program were part of the emancipation process. It was a very small step but many teenage girls and women benefited from these programs. The government created safe havens in some areas of the biggest cities (i.e northern Tehran, affluent suburbs of Shiraz etc.) and encouraged modernity.
Young women mimicked the clothing and hairstyles of Farah Pahlavi. She herself was made up and posed to look like Audrey Hepburn. Foreign press was permitted only to make reports about this segment of the society. Of course, this was neither a complete nor a true picture of Iranian society.

The "Dokhtar-e Khoshfekr Iran" pageant started by Ettela'at Banovan Weekly

The "Dokhtar-e Khoshfekr Iran" - Ettela'at Banovan Weekly

The "Dokhtar-e Khoshfekr Iran" - Ettela'at Banovan Weekly

The "Dokhtar-e Khoshfekr Iran" - Ettela'at Banovan Weekly

The "Dokhtar-e Khoshfekr Iran" - Ettela'at Banovan Weekly

The "Dokhtaran Darya" pageant started by Ettela'at Banovan Weekly

Parvin Dabiri winner of a local beauty pageant - Ettela'at Banovan Weekly 1960

Miss grace and intelligence contest - 1970s

Ettela'at Banovan's Malekeh Jahangardi - 1973

Malekeh Jahangardi

Sanaz Sehati - Malekeh Jahangardi 1348

Farah Pahlavi and Malekeh Jahangardi Finalists

Simin AmirNazmi Afshar beauty pageant winner - 1978

Zari Hariri winner of Ettela'at Banovan's Peyk-e Nik contest - 1963

Hippie Beauty Pageant - 1969

Actress Irene participating in an international beauty pageant - 1960

Mitra Shashani - Miss George Washington U., 1960

Sepideh, Aylin, Shourangiz, Dinamik and Googoosh winners of people's choice awards - 1970s

Ferdowsi Weekly critical of beauty pageants

Criticism of Miss Iran pageant by a website in Iran
Image Credits: All images are from Iranian newspaper & magazine clippings which are now in the public domain. Some of the images were enhanced by adjusting the color balance. The Persian Blogs (Blogfa, Blogsky, Mihan Blog, etc.) are saturated with nostalgic images of Pahlavi Era women. This type of content may not be legal but is tolerated to a great extent.
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