dpa- Tehran – Iran's Melli Bank opened its first women-only branch in the north-eastern city of Mashad, the official news agency IRNA reported Monday.
The new branch allows female customers to deal only with female bank staff and avoid contact with male personnel, IRNA said. The branch was opened in a religious citywhere the mausoleum of the eighth Shiite imam, Reza, is located.
It was not clear whether Melli Bank, the biggest bank in Iran, would open other women-only branches in other cities or whether women would be obliged to do business at such banks in the future.
Banking officials in Tehran termed the opening of the new branch as not binding for the future.
Iranian women are required to wear at least a long coat or gown and scarf to hide their body contours and hair and are not allowed to have any physical contact with unrelated men.
Public transportation is also segregated with women using the back of buses and men sitting in the front. Segregation of the sexes is also enforced in the Teheran subway system.
There are also taxis with female drivers for women only although their numbers are far too low to meet demand and women still use taxis with male drivers.
Also at festivities in public places such as hotels, men and women are separated. Segregation of the sexes is further enforced at entrances to public buildings and even queues in front of some shops.
Plans by some conservatives, however, to separate the sexes at universities, like in elementary and high schools, failed.
