Famous Iranian poet and a spiritual supporter of the women's rights movement, Simin ‎Behbahani, speaks to Rooz about the One Million Signatures Campaign, winner of this year's ‎Simone de Beauvoir prive for Women's Freedom. Behbahani recently received the prize on ‎behalf of the One Million Signatures Campaign in Paris. She returned to Tehran on Sunday and ‎delivered the prize to the Campaign during a ceremony. You can read the interview below.‎

Rooz (R): How did you feel receiving the Simone de Beauvoir award on behalf of the One ‎Million Signatures Campaign?‎

Simin Behbahani (SB): I am very happy to have received the Simone de Beauvoir award on ‎behalf of the women's rights movement and the One Million Signatures Campaign. Two days ‎ago about forty activists came to my house and I delivered the prize to them. They were very ‎happy and were discussing where to keep the award. ‎

R: What impact do such recognitions have on the women's rights movement in Iran? ‎

SB: These recognitions encourage Iranian women to continue on their path. Fortunately, our ‎women have been very committed and have worked very hard. Such awards certainly helps their ‎mentality and will make them more committed in their quest. I believe that such prizes are ‎coupled with their increasing determination to overcome obstacles that they encounter in their ‎path. I wish success for all the ladies and the Campaign and I hope no one is insulted, sent to ‎jail or subjected to pressure for gathering signatures for the Campaign. ‎

R: How do you explain the reality that the regime is suspicious of women's activities? ‎

SB: If somebody is suspicious of efforts of a country's women toward establishing equal rights ‎with men, then we must definitely ponder about his or her mental state- something is definitely ‎broken. I hope no one is suspicious of women's activities. We want the progress and ‎development of our country. We never want to do anything to harm our country. Those in ‎power must understand this issue and respect the demands of women.‎

R: Is it possible for pressures on women to increase ahead of the presidential election, and in ‎light of recent events affecting Shirin Ebadi and the Center for Defenders of Human Rights?‎

SB: I am very sorry about what happened to Mrs. Ebadi. That was a huge mistake on the part of ‎officials and I think they regret what they did. Women are slowly getting to know themselves, ‎proving that they neither are agitators or guerillas, nor do they seek to overthrow the regime. ‎They simply want human rights to be applied to them, and for them not to be regarded as half-‎citizens or incapable members of society, but as women, mothers, sisters and daughters of ‎society.