Masoumeh Ebtekar

'''Masoumeh Ebtekar''' ({{langx|fa|معصومه ابتکار}}; born 21 September 1960) is an Iranian politician. A [[Iranian reformists|Reformist]], she headed the country's [[Department of Environment (Iran)|Department of Environment]] from 1997 to 2005 and again from 2013 to 2017, after which she served as the [[Vice Presidency for Women and Family Affairs|Vice President for Women and Family Affairs]] from 2017 to 2021. Her appointment to the [[Cabinet of Iran]] in 1997 marked her as the institution's [[List of female members of the Cabinet of Iran|third female member overall]] and the first female member since the [[Iranian Revolution|Islamic Revolution]] in 1979. She is currently a full-time professor in the Immunology Department of the School of Medical Sciences at [[Tarbiat Modares University]] in the city of [[Tehran]].

'''Masoumeh Ebtekar''' ({{langx|fa|معصومه ابتکار}}; born 21 September 1960) is an Iranian politician. A [[Iranian reformists|Reformist]], she headed the country's [[Department of Environment (Iran)|Department of Environment]] from 1997 to 2005 and again from 2013 to 2017, after which she served as the [[Vice Presidency for Women and Family Affairs|Vice President for Women and Family Affairs]] from 2017 to 2021. Her appointment to the [[Cabinet of Iran]] in 1997 marked her as the institution's [[List of female members of the Cabinet of Iran|third female member overall]] and the first female member since the [[Iranian Revolution|Islamic Revolution]] in 1979. She is currently a full-time professor in the Immunology Department of the School of Medical Sciences at [[Tarbiat Modares University]] in the city of [[Tehran]].

During the [[Iran hostage crisis]], which began in November 1979 and ended in January 1981, Ebtekar was the spokesperson for the [[Muslim Student Followers of the Imam's Line]]. Variously nicknamed "Mary" and "Sister Mary" by the [[News media in the United States|American media]], which also took note of her [[Iran hostage crisis negotiations|broadcasts in American English]], she and her colleagues occupied the [[Embassy of the United States, Tehran|Embassy of the United States in Tehran]], where they held American citizens in captivity for 444 days with the approval of [[Ruhollah Khomeini]], who had recently seized power as the [[Supreme Leader of Iran]].{{Cite web |last=Azizi |first=Arash |date=4 February 2019 |title=Sister Mary and her Hostage, 38 Years Later |url=https://iranwire.com/en/features/65824/ |access-date=26 September 2024 |website=[[IranWire]]}} The hostage crisis triggered [[Iran–United States relations|ongoing hostilities between Iran and the United States]]. However, despite her views, Ebtekar's oldest son Eissa Hashemi has been residing in the [[United States]] since the early 2010s, prompting criticism from [[Human rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran|opponents of the Islamic Republic government]].{{Cite web |last=Hajizade |first=Ali |date=12 January 2019 |title=While the Iranian regime's elite bash US, their children reap its benefits |url=https://english.alarabiya.net/features/2019/01/12/While-Iranian-regime-bash-the-West-elites-children-reap-its-benefits |access-date=26 September 2024 |website=[[Al Arabiya English]]}}{{Cite web |last=Rosen |first=Barry |date=7 November 2022 |title=Blood money: Western countries should expel the kids of Iran's elites |url=https://blogs.timesofisrael.com/blood-money-western-countries-should-expel-the-kids-of-irans-elites/ |access-date=26 September 2024 |website=[[The Times of Israel]]}}{{Cite news |last=Esfandiari |first=Golnaz |date=11 October 2015 |title=Son Of Iranian Hostage-Takers Is Schooled By 'Great Satan' |url=https://www.rferl.org/a/son-of-iranian-hostage-takers-schooled-by-great-satan/27300298.html |access-date=26 September 2024 |work=[[Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty]] |language=en}} In April 2026, U.S federal agents arrested Eissa, his wife, Maryam, and their son, revoking their permanent resident status. They are currently in detention and awaiting deportation because of their relationship with Ebtekar.{{Cite news |last=Crowley |first=Michael |date=2026-04-11 |title=U.S. Moves to Deport Son of Prominent Figure in Iranian Revolution |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2026/04/11/us/politics/deportation-iranian-revolution.html |access-date=2026-04-12 |work=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}}

During the [[Iran hostage crisis]], which began in November 1979 and ended in January 1981, Ebtekar was the spokesperson for the [[Muslim Student Followers of the Imam's Line]]. Variously nicknamed "Mary", "Sister Mary" and "Screaming Mary",{{cite web|url=https://www.cbsnews.com/us-terminates-green-cards-set-to-deport-iranian-regime-propagandist|title=U.S. detains family of Iranian regime propagandist "Screaming Mary" ahead of deportation|last=Osborne|first=Mark|website=CBS News|date=April 11, 2026|accessdate=April 19, 2026}}

by the [[News media in the United States|American media]], so-named after her [[Iran hostage crisis negotiations|broadcasts in American English]], she and her colleagues occupied the [[Embassy of the United States, Tehran|Embassy of the United States in Tehran]], where they held American citizens in captivity for 444 days with the approval of [[Ruhollah Khomeini]], who had recently seized power as the [[Supreme Leader of Iran]].{{Cite web |last=Azizi |first=Arash |date=4 February 2019 |title=Sister Mary and her Hostage, 38 Years Later |url=https://iranwire.com/en/features/65824/ |access-date=26 September 2024 |website=[[IranWire]]}} The hostage crisis triggered [[Iran–United States relations|ongoing hostilities between Iran and the United States]]. However, despite her views, Ebtekar's oldest son Eissa Hashemi has been residing in the [[United States]] since the early 2010s, prompting criticism from [[Human rights in the Islamic Republic of Iran|opponents of the Islamic Republic government]].{{Cite web |last=Hajizade |first=Ali |date=12 January 2019 |title=While the Iranian regime's elite bash US, their children reap its benefits |url=https://english.alarabiya.net/features/2019/01/12/While-Iranian-regime-bash-the-West-elites-children-reap-its-benefits |access-date=26 September 2024 |website=[[Al Arabiya English]]}}{{Cite web |last=Rosen |first=Barry |date=7 November 2022 |title=Blood money: Western countries should expel the kids of Iran's elites |url=https://blogs.timesofisrael.com/blood-money-western-countries-should-expel-the-kids-of-irans-elites/ |access-date=26 September 2024 |website=[[The Times of Israel]]}}{{Cite news |last=Esfandiari |first=Golnaz |date=11 October 2015 |title=Son Of Iranian Hostage-Takers Is Schooled By 'Great Satan' |url=https://www.rferl.org/a/son-of-iranian-hostage-takers-schooled-by-great-satan/27300298.html |access-date=26 September 2024 |work=[[Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty]] |language=en}} In April 2026, U.S federal agents arrested Eissa, his wife, Maryam, and their son, revoking their permanent resident status. They are currently in detention and awaiting deportation because of their relationship with Ebtekar.{{Cite news |last=Crowley |first=Michael |date=2026-04-11 |title=U.S. Moves to Deport Son of Prominent Figure in Iranian Revolution |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2026/04/11/us/politics/deportation-iranian-revolution.html |access-date=2026-04-12 |work=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}}

Between 2007 and 2013, Ebtekar was part of the [[Islamic City Council of Tehran]].{{cite web |date=27 December 2006 |title=Local vote embarrassing Iran president - Yahoo! News |url=https://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20061218/ap_on_re_mi_ea/iran_elections |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061227004151/http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20061218/ap_on_re_mi_ea/iran_elections |archive-date=2006-12-27}} In 1998, she joined the [[Islamic Iran Participation Front]], which was banned in 2010, and has since been affiliated with the [[Union of Islamic Iran People Party]].

Between 2007 and 2013, Ebtekar was part of the [[Islamic City Council of Tehran]].{{cite web |date=27 December 2006 |title=Local vote embarrassing Iran president - Yahoo! News |url=https://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20061218/ap_on_re_mi_ea/iran_elections |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061227004151/http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20061218/ap_on_re_mi_ea/iran_elections |archive-date=2006-12-27}} In 1998, she joined the [[Islamic Iran Participation Front]], which was banned in 2010, and has since been affiliated with the [[Union of Islamic Iran People Party]].