The all-women flight landed at Mashhad International Airport in time for National Women’s Day celebrations.

The flight, operated by Aseman Airlines, was piloted by Shahrzad Shams, one of Iran’s pioneering female pilots.

Nicknamed “Iran Banoo” (Iranian Lady), the flight carried 110 female passengers and was the first time that a commercial flight in Mashhad had all-female passengers and crew.

The plane’s arrival in Mashhad, home of the revered shrine of Imam Reza, was hailed as a significant moment for women in the country.

The event coincided with the anniversary of the birth of Fatima al-Zahra, daughter of the Prophet Muhammad – celebrated as National Women’s and Mother’s Day – in Iran.

It is seen as evidence of increasing female participation in traditionally male-dominated industries, including aviation.

Female pilots remain a rarity in Iran, but progress has been made in recent years. In October 2019, Neshat Jahandari and Forouz Firouzi made history as the first female duo to operate a commercial flight in the Islamic Republic.

Shams, who piloted the Iran Banoo flight, is considered one of the country’s pioneering female pilots. Her leadership in Sunday’s historic flight underscores the strides women are making in a field long considered beyond their reach.

Last week, singer Parastoo Ahmady was detained after he performed a virtual concert on YouTube without wearing a hijab, an act considered to be in violation of Iran’s strict dress code. Despite YouTube restrictions, the performance garnered over 1.4 million views, sparking discussions about freedom of expression.

On the second anniversary of Mahsa Amini’s death in custody, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian promised that the morality police would refrain from targeting women. However, human rights defenders remain skeptical of tangible changes in policy.