Simin Behbahani (born July 20, 1927, Tehran, Iran) is one of the most prominent figures of modern Persian literature and one of the most outstanding amongst the contemporary Persian poets. She is Iran's national poet and an icon of the Iranian intelligentsia and literati. She has been nominated twice for the Nobel Prize in literature, and has received many literary accolades around the world. The song, ‘Dobare Misazamat Vatan’ was written by her in 2000 and sung by Iranian singer Daryush Eghbali.

Simin Behbahani, whose real name is Simin Khalili, is the daughter of Abbās Khalili, poet, writer and Editor of the Eghdam (Action) newspaper and Fakhr-e Ozma Arghun, poet and teacher of the French language. Abbas Khalili wrote poetry in both Persian and Arabic and translated some 1100 verses of Ferdowsi's Shahnameh into Arabic. Fakhr-e Ozma Arghun was one of the progressive women of her time and a member of Association of Patriotic Women between 1925 and 1929. In addition to Simin’s membership in the Democratic Party and Women's Association, she was for a time Editor of the Ayandehye Iran (Future of Iran) newspaper.

Behbahani was arrested in 8 March 2010 when she was going to Paris for a speech about Feminism. They seized her passport and banned her from leaving the country.

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Accessed Date: 31/10/2012