IFP- Iranian vice-president for women affairs says Rouhani will most probably designate two or three female ministers in his next cabinet, which is supposed to be formed within a couple of months.





Iran�s vice-president for women and family affairs, Shahindokht Molaverdi, maintains that now more than ever, the ground is prepared for the presence of women ministers in the Iranian President Hassan Rouhani�s new cabinet, which is supposed be formed by mid-August.

�We are optimistic about that. Given the characteristics of Rouhani�s first term and in view of the different conditions in which the next government is going to begin its term in office [compared to the previous one], now the grounds are a lot more prepared [than four years ago] for female ministers to be appointed to the cabinet,� she noted.

Nevertheless, Molaverdi said, this is the Iranian Parliament which has the final say on the issue, adding, �We predict that President Rouhani would propose two to three woman ministers to the Parliament for his cabinet. We will do our best to this end.�

Having a number of female ministers in the cabinet has been among the main demands of the women who voted for Rouhani in May 19 presidential election.

In Rouhani�s first term in office (2013-17), two women were among the Iranian president�s vice-presidents: Masoumeh Ebtekar, the head of the Department of the Environment, and Zahra Ahmadi-Pour, the head of Iran�s Cultural Heritage, Handicrafts and Tourism Organization.

In addition, the country�s first-ever Foreign Ministry spokeswoman, Marzieh Afkham, was appointed in in Rouhani�s government. She was later dispatched to Malaysia as Iran�s first-ever woman ambassador.

Nevertheless, the expectations of Iran�s women community, comprising more than 50 percent of the Iranian university students, are greater this time while only a couple of months are left before Rouhani assumes office for the second time.

Iranian women played a very significant role in May to extend the tenure of the Rouhani�s moderate government for another four-year time-span.