When she officially accepted her appointment as spokesperson for Iran 's foreign minister Sunday , Marzieh Afkham wore a chador . To feminist critics of the Islamic government , the black head-to-toe cloak , leaving only the face visible , is a symbol of women 's second-class status in Iran . But the most surprising symbol Sunday was Afkham herself , the first female diplomat appointed to such a visible position . Amanpour : A female president of Iran ? Since his election in June , President Hassan Rouhani has urged officials to appoint women to high-ranking posts . During Sunday 's ceremony introducing Afkham , Foreign Minister Mohammad-Javad Zarif quoted a line by Iranian poet Sohrab Sepehri , `` We need to wash our eyes and see differently . '' Afkham , 48 , is a career diplomat described by her predecessor , Abbas Araqhchi , as `` seasoned and experienced . '' Women have held high-ranking posts in the Iranian parliament and a few ministries , such as health . And a woman , Elham Aminzadeh , now is vice president for parliamentary affairs . Read more : Goodbye , Ahmadinejad ; hello , Rouhani . But Iran scholar Farideh Farhi said Afkham 's visibility at weekly press conferences will be an important first for women in the government . Afkham `` will be closely watched by many inside Iran and around the world , '' said Farhi , an adjunct professor at the University of Hawaii at Manao who also has taught at the University of Tehran . `` This is an extremely bold move by Foreign Minister Zarif to appoint a woman to such high-ranking and politically visible post , '' Farhi said . At her first meeting with reporters Sunday , she warned of any `` adventurous '' military action against Syria . She did not mention the United States .
New president has pushed for more women in high-profile positions in Iran . Career diplomat Marzieh Afkham often will be face of Foreign Ministry . Foreign minister : `` We need to wash our eyes and see differently '' Iran scholar calls appointment `` an extremely bold move ''