Seher Tandoğar

States that tried to realize the modern positivist ideology supported women’s participation in politics, which was a sign of modernity. In this context, Bahriye Üçok (1971) was chosen as a senator in the Republic of Türkiye, and Ferruhrû Pârsay (1968) was chosen as the first female minister in Pahlavi Iran. However, they were subject to criticism due to the views they defended. Pârsay was executed in 1980 by the decision of the Iranian Revolutionary Court due to accusations related to her activities during her term as Minister of Education, while Üçok was assassinated in 1990 due to her comments and statements about Islam and secularism. This article aims to comparatively examine the discourses of two scholars living in two bordering countries with a Muslim majority and chosen as political models on veiling in educational institutions. It attempts to answer the questions on which issues and why these views are seen as a threat by the opponents.The interaction between Türkiye and Iran is attempted to be explained using the comparative historiography method. This study was conducted by following a historical chronology, taking into account their proximity in time and space. The speech texts of Pârsay and Üçok, minutes, articles reflected in the press and SAVAK documents were used. As a result, these two female politicians did not approve of female students studying in educational institutions attending classes wearing chadors in Iran and headscarves in Turkey. Despite their many important activities on women’s rights and education, they were accused by the conservatives of being against the Islamic religion. However, they continued to courageously defend the official ideological views of the states they were chosen as models for. They played an important role in the political representation of women with the efforts and struggles they showed to serve their countries.