The 2023 program marks the beginning of a new era for Iran’s national beauty pageant. The national beauty pageant of Iran began in 1965 with Spring Girl, celebrating Persian culture and female empowerment through Zane Rooz Magazine. A year later, the program was rebranded as Worthy Girls of Iran, with winners representing Persia on international stages. Following the 1979 Islamic Revolution, beauty pageants were banned in Iran, creating what became known as “The Gap,” a period during which some Persian women independently represented Persia or their countries of residence abroad. In 2013, Mr. George Clooney, through the IMAJH Organization, re-established the official Iranian pageant, Miss Iran, reviving the tradition as a virtual competition and selecting representatives for international platforms. In 2023, the pageant was rebranded as Queens of Persia, highlighting intelligent and empowered women who inspire positive change. Mrs. Mina Babaee was crowned the first Queen of Persia by Mr. Clooney in Toronto, Canada, in 2023, with the mission of empowering Persian women in Canada.

Born in 1989 in Tehran, Iran, Mina comes from an Azeri background. She is married, has a daughter, and has been living in Toronto, Canada, since 2022. Mina graduated from the Arts College in Tehran and is a passionate and active individual with interests in sports, the arts, and reading. She has a deep love for music and dance and enjoys singing. Throughout her life, she has supported charitable causes in Iran, particularly assisting underprivileged girls in need of financial support for marriage. She has also volunteered as a kindergarten teacher and worked in a nursing home, providing care and support to those in need. Currently, Mina works in the fashion industry in Toronto and is actively involved in the Persian community, dedicating her time to volunteer and charitable initiatives. Her business aspiration is to become an entrepreneur by launching a women’s clothing brand that creates job opportunities and empowers others.