Introduction: The conceptualization of women’s identity and societal positioning remains a profound sociological issue. Historically, women have been trapped between two diametrically opposed paradigms. The traditional Eastern model has circumscribed women to the private sphere, disenfranchising them from socio-political engagement. Conversely, the Western model has recurrently reduced female identity to a sexualized object, instrumentally exploiting women for inexpensive labor. The 1979 Islamic Revolution in Iran catalyzed a paradigm shift, fostering a novel female identity inspired by the historical conduct of figures such as Hazrat Fatima Zahra (PBUH). This discourse culminated in the articulation of the "Third Model of Womanhood," introduced by Ayatollah Khamenei in 2012. Rooted within the maxim of "Neither Eastern nor Western," this paradigm postulates an independent, socially proactive Muslim woman who harmoniously maintains a simultaneous presence in the family and society while preserving her religious identity. This model is predicated upon four dimensions: remaining chaste, adhering to the veil, upholding intrinsic honor, and positioning women at the center of socio-political developments. Despite its theoretical significance, related efforts have largely remained at the theoretical level. The model has yet to develop into an operational logic, suffering from philosophical ambiguities, conflicting narratives, and weak governance. Consequently, this study systematically maps the literature on the realization of the Third Model of Womanhood in Iran from a rigorous problem-identification perspective.

Methodology: To establish a comprehensive understanding of the extant literature, this study employed a scoping review approach. Unlike traditional systematic reviews, a scoping review explores broad, epistemologically complex conceptual territories by mapping the available evidentiary landscape. The structural architecture strictly adhered to the six-stage methodological framework pioneered by Arksey and O'Malley, fortified by Levac et al.. To ensure exhaustive coverage, the formulation of research questions was guided by the robust PCC (Population, Concept, Context) framework. A systematic search strategy was executed across academic databases, encompassing major Persian repositories such as SID, Magiran, Noormags, Civilica, and IranDoc, alongside leading English databases including Scopus and Web of Science. Acknowledging the policy-oriented nature of the subject matter, the search strategy also encompassed grey literature, targeting official news agencies, specialized platforms for women's affairs, and think tank reports. This search captured all available literature up to the year 1404 in the Iranian calendar without chronological restrictions. The inclusion criteria dictated that selected documents must address the Third Model of Womanhood, propose concrete strategies for its realization, and be contextualized within the Iranian sociocultural landscape, governance framework, and overarching Islamic perspectives. Literature solely engaging with generic women's issues or lacking an actionable framework was excluded. Notably, while English databases were queried, no relevant sources aligned with the discursive parameters, underscoring the distinctly localized nature of this discourse. From an initial pool of 2,537 retrieved records, a strict screening protocol yielded 79 eligible sources. The qualitative data extracted from these documents were subjected to analysis utilizing Braun and Clarke's inductive thematic analysis. Most included studies utilized descriptive-analytical methodologies, and a pronounced geographic concentration was evident, with fifty analyzed articles originating directly from institutions based in Tehran.

Findings: Through inductive thematic analysis, the synthesized findings were systematically delineated into three overarching domains: challenges and barriers, actionable strategies for realization, and the network of responsible actors. Regarding formidable barriers, the academic literature delineates obstacles across five distinct levels: epistemological, institutional, cultural, structural, and family-centric. The dominance of entrenched Eastern and Western paradigms represents the primary epistemological barrier, generating a profound identity vacuum and conflicting narratives. In the realm of governance, widespread institutional inaction, the absence of a lucid governmental roadmap, enduring legal ambiguities, and the non-implementation of amended laws by judicial authorities were recognized as paramount structural impediments. Furthermore, socio-cultural barriers manifest through entrenched patriarchal attitudes, the reinforcement of reductionist gender stereotypes in mass media, occupational discrimination, and the limited presence of women in macro-level decision-making echelons. Within the family domain, severe role conflict between maternal duties and active social participation is a primary pragmatic barrier, frequently exacerbated by husbands hindering their wives' social presence and by excessively rigid interpretations of male guardianship. To counter these multifaceted obstacles, the literature provides an array of actionable strategies. Emphasizing foundational capacities, researchers underscore the necessity of leveraging dynamic Shia jurisprudence and governmental decrees to progressively reform family laws in strict accordance with evolving societal interests. Sectoral policies constituted the most frequently cited strategic domain, advocating for transformative interventions in education, the creation of employment paradigms structurally compatible with feminine identity, robust support for family-centeredness, and comprehensive population-related policies. These policies champion progressive employment adaptations, notably flexible working hours, telecommuting arrangements, and home-based businesses, coupled with extensive maternity leave provisions. Cultural strategies necessitate the positive representation of women across mass media and the proactive institutionalization of a national bank showcasing successful female models in contemporary politics. Finally, the study illuminated a diverse network of actors operating within this paradigm, encompassing layers of discourse-building spearheaded by religious scholars, legislative apparatuses, and vibrant field-level activism. However, the existing literature exhibits a disproportionate focus on theoretical discourse-builders, overshadowing pragmatic, field-level activists. Most critically, pervasive institutional inaction and the glaring absence of men—specifically the lack of male participation in equitably sharing domestic responsibilities—were emphatically recognized as fundamental gaps actively hindering the model's ultimate societal success.

Conclusion: This scoping review unequivocally reveals that contemporary academic and policy literature has successfully constructed a comprehensive conceptual picture of the Third Model of Womanhood. Nevertheless, the overarching conclusion is that this critical discourse largely remains at the superficial level of normative recommendation, broad policy advice, and philosophical abstraction. It has fundamentally failed to transition into a functional, dynamic operational logic capable of facilitating widespread, sustainable societal implementation. The enduring systemic dominance of Western modernization and Eastern traditionalism continues to aggressively impede the complex process of localized socialization and genuine identity formation for Muslim women. Accordingly, critical operational gaps were systematically identified across four fundamental echelons: theoretical, governance-related, operational, and research-related. The theoretical gap is characterized by the conspicuous absence of an engaging, universally resonant narrative, while the governance and operational gaps acutely highlight the persistent chasm between idealistic policy formulation and pragmatic field execution. Furthermore, the research-related gap reveals a detrimental lack of empirical effectiveness evaluations regarding proposed interventions. To ensure the paradigm decisively evolves beyond mere intellectual rhetoric, the establishment of a cohesive national roadmap, the empowerment of a specialized administrative institution, the implementation of effective legislative oversight, and a profound redefinition of modern gender roles are urgently mandated. Specifically, redefining socio-cultural gender roles to actively facilitate and normalize male involvement in domestic spheres is an absolute prerequisite for alleviating female role conflict. Finally, overcoming the disproportionate geographic centralization of academic research in the capital by deliberately fostering indigenous socio-cultural models adapted to diverse local and ethnic contexts remains an essential imperative for realizing the transformative potential of the Third Model of Womanhood in Iran.