MASHHAD, IRAN: TO GO WITH AFP STORY "IRAN-FARM-ECONOMY-LUXURY-SAFFRON" Iranian workers sort and clean saffron filaments during the saffron processing at Iran's Novin Saffron factory in Touss industrial zone of Mashhad, northeast of Iran, 01 November 2006. Despite Iran's status as the undisputed heavyweight champion of the saffron world, it has yet to realize the full economic potential of the 3,000 year-old industry and faces challenges to hold on to its rampant market share. MORE IMAGES AVAILABLE ON IMAGE

Women in Iran's factories face hardship, discrimination

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MASHHAD, IRAN: TO GO WITH AFP STORY "IRAN-FARM-ECONOMY-LUXURY-SAFFRON" Iranian workers sort and clean saffron filaments during the saffron processing at Iran's Novin Saffron factory in Touss industrial zone of Mashhad, northeast of Iran, 01 November 2006. Despite Iran's status as the undisputed heavyweight champion of the saffron world, it has yet to realize the full economic potential of the 3,000 year-old industry and faces challenges to hold on to its rampant market share. MORE IMAGES AVAILABLE ON IMAGE

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