The Women of the Zagros Mountains

In Persian literature, the 1,600-kilometer-long Zagros mountain range, which defines most of the western border of the Iranian plateau, is a symbol of perseverance. And so are the people who live there, enduring a difficult life surrounded by the defiant slopes of the mountains.

The residents of Zagros have learned how to cope well with whatever life brings them, but they have also paid the price. These photographs, of Lor tribeswomen in the county of Aligudarz in the province of Lorestan, are a testimony to their hardships. The women are deprived of education and healthcare and they work hard each day, a lifestyle that makes them old before their time.

Photos: Abbas Mohammadi, Iranian Students’ News Agency (ISNA)

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