Masoumeh Ebtekar: Difference between revisions

| name = Masoumeh Ebtekar

| image = Portrait of Masoumeh Ebtekar.jpg

| caption = Ebtekar in 2015

| birth_name = Masoumeh Ebtekar

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1960|9|21|df=y}}

| birth_place = [[Tehran]], [[Pahlavi dynasty|Imperial State of Iran]]

| order = [[Vice President of Iran]]<br />[[Vice Presidency for Women and Family Affairs|for Women and Family Affairs]]

| term_start = 9 August 2017

| term_end = 1 September 2021

| president = [[Hassan Rouhani]]

| predecessor = [[Shahindokht Molaverdi]]

| successor = [[Ensieh Khazali]]

| order1 = [[Vice President of Iran]]<br />[[Department of Environment (Iran)|Head of Department of Environment]]

| term_start1 = 10 September 2013

| term_end1 = 13 August 2017

| president1 = [[Hassan Rouhani]]

| predecessor1 = [[Mohammad-Javad Mohammadizadeh|Javad Mohammadizadeh]]

| successor1 = [[Isa Kalantari]]

| order2 =

| term_start2 = 23 August 1997

| term_end2 = 7 September 2005

| president2 = [[Mohammad Khatami]]

| predecessor2 = [[Hadi Manafi]]

| successor2 = [[Fatemeh Javadi]]

| order3 = [[City Council of Tehran|Member of the City Council of Tehran]]

| term_start3 = 29 April 2007

| term_end3 = 3 September 2013

| majority3 = 232,959 (14.06%)

| party = [[Islamic Iran Participation Front]] (1998–2010)<br/>[[Union of Islamic Iran People Party]] (2010–present)

| alma_mater = [[Shahid Beheshti University]]<br />[[Tarbiat Modares University]]

| occupation = Politician, Scientist and Journalist

| spouse = [[Mohammad Hashemi]] {{small|(m. 1981)}}

| children = 2

| parents = Taghi Ebtekar {{small|(father)}}<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mehrnews.com/news/2133002/%D9%85%D8%B9%D8%B5%D9%88%D9%85%D9%87-%D8%A7%D8%A8%D8%AA%DA%A9%D8%A7%D8%B1-%D8%A7%D8%B2-%D8%AA%D8%B3%D8%AE%DB%8C%D8%B1-%D9%84%D8%A7%D9%86%D9%87-%D8%AC%D8%A7%D8%B3%D9%88%D8%B3%DB%8C-%D8%AA%D8%A7-%D8%B1%DB%8C%D8%A7%D8%B3%D8%AA-%D8%AF%D9%88%D8%A8%D8%A7%D8%B1%D9%87-%D8%B3%D8%A7%D8%B2%D9%85%D8%A7%D9%86-%D9%85%D8%AD%DB%8C%D8%B7|title=معصومه ابتکار؛ از تسخیر لانه جاسوسی تا ریاست دوباره سازمان محیط زیست|date=10 September 2013|website=Mehrnews.com}}</ref><br />Fatemeh Barzegar {{small|(mother)}}<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bornanews.ir/%D8%A8%D8%AE%D8%B4-%D8%B3%DB%8C%D8%A7%D8%B3%DB%8C-%D8%A7%D9%82%D8%AA%D8%B5%D8%A7%D8%AF%DB%8C-3/461160-%D9%BE%D8%A7%D8%B3%D8%AE-%D9%85%D8%A7%D8%AF%D8%B1-%D9%85%D8%B9%D8%B5%D9%88%D9%85%D9%87-%D8%A7%D8%A8%D8%AA%DA%A9%D8%A7%D8%B1-%D8%A8%D9%87-%D8%A7%D8%AA%D9%87%D8%A7%D9%85%D8%A7%D8%AA-%DB%8C%DA%A9-%D8%AE%D8%A8%D8%B1%DA%AF%D8%B2%D8%A7%D8%B1%DB%8C-%D8%AE%D8%A7%D8%B5|title=پاسخ مادر معصومه ابتکار به اتهامات یک خبرگزاری خاص|website=Bornanews.ir|access-date=14 July 2018|archive-date=10 October 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171010193808/http://www.bornanews.ir/%D8%A8%D8%AE%D8%B4-%D8%B3%DB%8C%D8%A7%D8%B3%DB%8C-%D8%A7%D9%82%D8%AA%D8%B5%D8%A7%D8%AF%DB%8C-3/461160-%D9%BE%D8%A7%D8%B3%D8%AE-%D9%85%D8%A7%D8%AF%D8%B1-%D9%85%D8%B9%D8%B5%D9%88%D9%85%D9%87-%D8%A7%D8%A8%D8%AA%DA%A9%D8%A7%D8%B1-%D8%A8%D9%87-%D8%A7%D8%AA%D9%87%D8%A7%D9%85%D8%A7%D8%AA-%DB%8C%DA%A9-%D8%AE%D8%A8%D8%B1%DA%AF%D8%B2%D8%A7%D8%B1%DB%8C-%D8%AE%D8%A7%D8%B5|url-status=dead}}</ref>

| signature = Official signature of Masoumeh Ebtekar.png

| signature_alt =

| website = [https://web.archive.org/web/20200809024748/https://greenebtekar.persinablog.ir/]

'''Masoumeh Ebtekar''' ({{lang-fa|معصومه ابتکار}}; born 21 September 1960) is an Iranian [[Iranian Reformists|reformist]] politician, who was the former [[Vice Presidency for Women and Family Affairs|Vice President of Iran for Women and Family Affairs]], from August 9, August 2017, to 1 September 1, 2021. She previously headed [[Department of Environment (Iran)|Department of Environment]] from 1997 to 2005, making her [[List of female members of the Cabinet of Iran|the first female member]] in the [[cabinet of Iran]] since 1979 and the third in history. She held the same level of office from 2013 to 2017. She is a full professor at Tarbiat Modares University in the School of Medical Sciences, Immunology Department.

Ebtekar was born in Tehran as Masoumeh, Niloufar Ebtekar in a middle-class family.<ref name=Janjigian1981>{{cite news |title=What next for 'Mary' of Tehran? |first=Jane |last=Janjigian |date=26 February 1981 |newspaper=Chicago Tribune |page=B4}}</ref> Her first name translates to "Innocent Water Lily" in English.<ref name=Janjigian1981/> Ebtekar's father studied at the [[University of Pennsylvania]], and she lived with her parents in [[Upper Darby Township, Pennsylvania]], just outside [[Philadelphia]].<ref name="archives.upenn.edu">{{cite web |url=http://www.archives.upenn.edu/histy/features/intrntnl/country/mideast.html |title=A Brief History of Global Engagement at the University of Pennsylvania |publisher=Archives.upenn.edu, [[University of Pennsylvania]] |access-date=2008-11-18 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110519015838/http://www.archives.upenn.edu/histy/features/intrntnl/country/mideast.html |archive-date=2011-05-19 |url-status=dead }}</ref> During her six years in Philadelphia, she developed "near-perfect, American-accented English."<ref name=Sciolino116>Sciolino, Elaine, ''Persian Mirrors : the Elusive Face of Iran'', Free Press, (2005), p. 116</ref> Returning to Iran she enrolled in [[Iranzamin School|Iranzamin (Tehran International School)]]. Later after graduation as a student, she became a supporter of the political Islam of [[Ali Shariati]] and began wearing a traditional black chador covering everything except her face.<ref>Bowden, Mark, ''Guests of the Ayatollah'', [[Atlantic Monthly Press]], 2006, p. 161</ref>

Ebtekar was promoted to full Professorship in JanJanuary 2019 and elected as Immunology & Allergy Association in 2018.

On 7 October 2008, [[eTBLAST]], a text similarity search engine on [[MEDLINE]] database, noted that 85% of a review paper published by Masoumeh Ebtekar came from several previously published articles. The review paper, on cytokines and air pollution, was published in 2006 in the ''Iran Journal of Allergy Asthma Immunology'' (IJAAI) 5 47-56:2006.<ref name="eTBLAST">[http://spore.swmed.edu/dejavu/duplicate/9866/] {{dead link|date=January 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> A couple weeks after the eTBLAST report, ''[[Nature (journal)|Nature]]'' covered the story, quoting one of the authors of original papers, ([[Ian Mudway]], a [[toxicologist]] at the [[King's College London]]) as saying, "the article is a veritable patchwork of other people's work, word for word, grammatical error for grammatical error." ''Nature'' also stated that Ebtekar had not replied to its emails.<ref>[http://www.nature.com/news/2008/081022/full/4551019a.html Iranian paper sparks sense of deja vu], Nature.com, 23 October 2008, Vol 455,</ref> In response, the editor-in-chief of the IJAAI issued a statement saying: "We regret for this duplication that appeared in the journal. We are working with the editors of the JACI journal [the ''[[Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology]]'', a scholarly periodical that published three of the papers from which Ebtekar had copied] to find the best solution in this regard." In December 2008 Ebtekar's article was retracted.<ref name="eTBLAST"/>

In 2013 Ebtekar was elected as the President of the 12th International Congress of Immunology. The Congress was held on April 29, April 2014. Ebtekar spoke in the opening ceremony and introduced [[Rolf M. Zinkernagel|Rolf Zinkernagel]], the Nobel Laureate for Medicine, as the guest of honour.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.icia.ir|title=کنگره بین المللی ایمونولوژی و آلرژی ایران|website=Icia.ir}}</ref>

Ebtekar wrote an account of the embassy takeover with [[Fred A. Reed]] titled ''Takeover in Tehran: The Inside Story of the 1979 U.S. Embassy Capture''.<ref>Ebtekar, Masoumeh; Reed, Fred A. (2000). ''Takeover in Tehran: The Inside Story of the 1979 U.S. Embassy Capture''. Talonbooks; Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. {{ISBN|0-88922-443-9}}. The [[Persian language|Persian]] translation of this book was published in Tehran by Etellaat Newspaper Publications the same year and the Arabic translation was published in Beirut by Al Hadi Publications.</ref> Western media have systematically depicted Ebtekar's involvement in a negative manner, as Reed describes: "For twenty years the prevailing 'globalized' version of the embassy capture has cast the students at best as well-intentioned but naive young people manipulated ...and at worst as irresponsible extremists."<ref>''Takeover in Tehran'', 2001 , Talon Books, p. 16</ref> [[Elaine Sciolino]] wrote about Ebtekar's own viewpoint: "Asked by an ''[[ABC News (United States)|ABC News]]'' correspondent one day whether she could see herself picking up a gun and killing the hostages, she replied: 'yes. When I've seen an American gun being lifted up and killing my brothers and sisters in the streets, of course.'"<ref name=Sciolino117>Sciolino, ''Persian Mirrors'', (2005), p. 117</ref>

She is said to be remembered by many Americans (hostages such as David Roeder, Barbara Timm, the mother of hostage Kevin Hermening and those who watched her on television) with a great lack of fondness, in part because "her familiarity with America added profound emphasis to her rejection of it."<ref>Bowden, Mark, Guests of the Ayatollah , Atlantic Monthly Press, 2006, pp. 162–3</ref>

When asked by an American interviewer (Elaine Sciolino) in the late 1990s about her past as spokeswoman for the hostage-takers, why it did not appear on her resume, and why she had changed her name from Niloufar to Masoumeh, Ebtekar "had no apology and made no excuses" about her role,<ref>"Top Woman in Iran's Government Once Spoke for Hostage-Takers", ''New York Times'', January 28, 1998, p. A6</ref> describing the hostage taking as "the best direction that could have been taken" by Iran at the time, but surprised the interviewer with her "[[chutzpah]]", insisting that the interviewer "not write much about these things."<ref>Sciolino, ''Persian Mirrors'' (2005), p. 118</ref> Sciolino published this article in the ''New York Times'' unaware of the fact that Ebtekar's book (Takeover in Tehran) was in print and would be published in 2001.{{citation needed|date=March 2024}}

In the 2012 film ''[[Argo (2012 film)|Argo]]'', Ebtekar was portrayed by [[Nikka Far]] and called only "Tehran Mary" in the credits.{{citation needed|date=March 2024}}

Ebtekar was the first woman to serve as [[Vice President of Iran|vice-president of Iran]] when the reformists came to power. Along with [[Zahra Shojaei]], she participated in the first cabinet since the Islamic Revolution to include women. She has been described as a leftist in [[Mohammad Khatami]]'s alliance.<ref name=Sciolino116/> Ebtekar headed the Department of Environment for eight years, introducing major structural, organizational and directional changes enabling a re-engineering of the government body. During her tenure environmental awareness and support for civil society activism in this area was enhanced.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ashgate.com/isbn/9781409402046|title=Women, Power and Politics in 21st Century Iran|date=28 April 2012|work=Routledge.com|access-date=31 October 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130921141343/http://ashgate.com/isbn/9781409402046|archive-date=21 September 2013|url-status=dead}}</ref>

Ebtekar served as vice president and Head of the [[Department of Environment]] during the first term of [[President Rouhani]], 2013–2017.<ref name="انتخاب 2013">{{cite web | last=انتخاب | first=پایگاه خبری تحلیلی | title=شمخانی دبیر شورای عالی امنیت ملی شد، ابتکار رییس سازمان محیط زیست | website=پایگاه خبری تحلیلی انتخاب &#124; Entekhab.ir | date=2013-09-10 | url=http://www.entekhab.ir/fa/news/128365 | language=fa | access-date=2018-07-14}}</ref> During this period in spite of immense challenges facing Iran's environment, and irrespective of the fierce opposition of rival political and special interests groups, great strides were taken to enhance environmental governance and stewardship.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.irna.ir/en/News/82453374|title=President Rouhani urges protecting environment|website=Irna.ir|date=5 March 2017 }}</ref> Twelve environmental bills, a strong chapter in the sixth National Development Plan and numerous directives and guidelines were implemented during this period, while national plans to enhance air quality were promoted through strong cross-sectoral, management leading to better air quality trends.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://lobelog.com/irans-struggle-with-air-pollution/|title=Iran's Struggle with Air Pollution|date=7 March 2016|website=Lobelog.com}}</ref>

A significant surge in the quantity and quality of civil society activism was the result of planning for enhanced nongovernmental organization participation in policy and oversight.{{citation needed|date=July 2018}} During this term private sector involvement in the management of protected areas and managing wildlife conservation was promoted through legislation and incentives. Introducing local legislation for management schemes of national parks and protected areas and for wildlife and endangered species conservation schemes for the first time.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.doe.ir/Portal/home/?news%2F196210%2F550488%2F564799%2F%D9%85%D8%B5%D9%88%D8%A8%D9%87-%D9%82%D8%B1%D9%82-%D9%87%D8%A7%DB%8C-%D8%A7%D8%AE%D8%AA%D8%B5%D8%A7%D8%B5%DB%8C-%D8%A8%D8%B1%D8%A7%DB%8C-%D8%A7%D8%AC%D8%B1%D8%A7-%D8%A7%D8%A8%D9%84%D8%A7%D8%BA-%D8%B4%D8%AF |title=سازمان حفاظت محیط زیست -اصلی-سازمان حفاظت محیط زیست/مصوبه قرق های اختصاصی برای اجرا ابلاغ شد |access-date=2016-08-09 |archive-date=2016-08-09 |archive-url=http://webarchive.loc.gov/all/20160809071947/http://www.doe.ir/Portal/home/?news/196210/550488/564799/%D9%85%D8%B5%D9%88%D8%A8%D9%87-%D9%82%D8%B1%D9%82-%D9%87%D8%A7%DB%8C-%D8%A7%D8%AE%D8%AA%D8%B5%D8%A7%D8%B5%DB%8C-%D8%A8%D8%B1%D8%A7%DB%8C-%D8%A7%D8%AC%D8%B1%D8%A7-%D8%A7%D8%A8%D9%84%D8%A7%D8%BA-%D8%B4%D8%AF |url-status=live }}</ref> Nature Rangers enjoyed high quality training and education programs while awareness campaigns led to improvements in their social status.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://coe.ac.ir/find.php?item=1.61.57.fa|title=بازدید معاون رییس جمهور از مرکز آموزش های محیط بانی دانشگاه محیط زیست|website=coe.ac.ir|access-date=14 July 2018|archive-date=12 June 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180612162458/http://coe.ac.ir/find.php?item=1.61.57.fa|url-status=dead}}</ref> International diplomacy in collaboration with [[UNEP]], [[UNDP]], [[JICA]], [[UNESCO]] led to many joint projects including participatory training for local farmers and villagers in Urumia basin area, Conservation of the Cheetah, Second International Seminar on Environment Religion and Culture, First [[UN]] Conference on Combating [[Dust]] and Sand Storms, Project for Restoration of Anzali Wetland, Project for Coastal Zone Management Projects and many others.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.irdiplomacy.ir/en/page/1970945/The+Legacy+of+Massoumeh+Ebtekar+in+Iran%E2%80%99s+Department+of+Environment.html|title=The Legacy of Massoumeh Ebtekar in Iran's Department of Environment - diplomacy|website=diplomacy|access-date=14 July 2018}}</ref>

The fifth international Green Film festival<ref>{{cite web|url=https://financialtribune.com/articles/art-and-culture/41387/green-film-festival-opens-after-10-years|title=Green Film Festival Opens After 10 Years|date=13 May 2016|website=Financialtribune.com|access-date=14 July 2018}}</ref> was revived, four rounds of International Environment Exhibition, four rounds of Green Industry Competition and Four Rounds of the National Environment Award was convened during this term.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.tehrantimes.com/news/414024/Iran-marks-World-Environment-Day-with-national-award|title=Iran marks World Environment Day with national award|date=7 June 2017|website=Tehrantimes.com}}</ref> 20 Bilateral and multilateral MOUs were signed and implemented leading to more than 50 technical and educational workshops and sessions. Nationwide campaigns on "no to plastics",<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.entekhab.ir/fa/news/231483/%DA%A9%D9%85%D9%BE%DB%8C%D9%86-%D9%86%D9%87-%D8%A8%D9%87-%D8%B8%D8%B1%D9%88%D9%81-%DB%8C%DA%A9%D8%A8%D8%A7%D8%B1-%D9%85%D8%B5%D8%B1%D9%81-%D9%BE%D9%84%D8%A7%D8%B3%D8%AA%DB%8C%DA%A9%DB%8C|title=کمپین نه به ظروف یکبار مصرف پلاستیکی|first=پایگاه خبری تحلیلی انتخاب |last=Entekhab.ir|website=پایگاه خبری تحلیلی انتخاب - Entekhab.ir}}</ref> "reduction of waste",<ref>{{cite web|url=http://nasimonline.ir/Content/Detail/944456/%DA%A9%D9%85%D9%BE%DB%8C%D9%86-50-%DA%AF%D8%B1%D9%85-%D8%A8%D8%A7-%D9%87%D8%AF%D9%81-%DA%A9%D8%A7%D9%87%D8%B4-%D8%AA%D9%88%D9%84%DB%8C%D8%AF-%D8%B2%D8%A8%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%87-%D8%A2%D8%BA%D8%A7%D8%B2-%D9%85%DB%8C-%D8%B4%D9%88%D8%AF-|title=کمپین "50 گرم" با هدف کاهش تولید زباله آغاز می‌شود|website=Nasimonline.ir|date=31 October 2014 }}</ref> "and energy conservation",<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.doe.ir/portal/home/?news%2F196210%2F430636%2F523269%2F%DA%A9%D9%85%D9%BE%DB%8C%D9%86-18-%D8%AF%D8%B1%D8%AC%D9%87%D8%8C-%DA%86%D8%B1%D8%A7-%DA%A9%D9%87-%D9%86%D9%87%D8%9F%21 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180308103728/https://www.doe.ir/portal/home/?news%2F196210%2F430636%2F523269%2F%DA%A9%D9%85%D9%BE%DB%8C%D9%86-18-%D8%AF%D8%B1%D8%AC%D9%87%D8%8C-%DA%86%D8%B1%D8%A7-%DA%A9%D9%87-%D9%86%D9%87%D8%9F%21 |url-status=dead |archive-date=2018-03-08 |access-date=2018-09-08 |title=سازمان حفاظت محیط زیست /اصلی/سازمان حفاظت محیط زیست/کمپین 18 درجه، چرا که نه؟! }}</ref> "no to [[food waste]]"<ref>{{cite web|url=https://news.akhbarrasmi.com/news/13950808170915700/%D8%A7%D9%93%D8%BA%D8%A7%D8%B2-%DA%A9%D9%85%D9%BE%DB%8C%D9%86-%D9%85%D9%84%DB%8C-%D8%AC%D9%84%D9%88%DA%AF%DB%8C%D8%B1%DB%8C-%D8%A7%D8%B2-%D8%A7%D8%B3%D8%B1%D8%A7%D9%81-%D8%BA%D8%B0%D8%A7/|title=آغاز کمپین ملی جلوگیری از اسراف غذا|date=29 October 2016|website=Akhbarrasmi.com}}</ref> and many others were supported and promoted. The National Committee on Sustainable Development was transformed into an efficient cross sectoral body to promote and monitor sustainability indicators at the national level.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://smallmedia.org.uk/media/projects/files/ParadiseLost_2016.pdf|title=Paradise Lost? Developing solutions to Iran's environmental crisis |website=Smallmedia.org.uk|access-date=13 July 2018}}</ref>

Ebtekar was named one of the seven 2006 [[Champions of the Earth]] by the [[United Nations Environment Program]] as a prominent and "inspirational" environmental leader who has made an impact at policy level in a region of the world.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=17905&Cr=UNEP&Cr1=|title=United Nations News Centre|date=23 March 2006|work=UN News Service Section}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |author=BaniComm Co. |url=http://www.isna.ir/Main/NewsView.aspx?ID=News-688961&Lang=P |title=Iranian Students News Agency (in Persian) |publisher=Isna.ir |access-date=2008-11-18 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081216014814/http://www.isna.ir/Main/NewsView.aspx?ID=News-688961&Lang=P |archive-date=2008-12-16 }}</ref> Ebtekar said that she believes the award was a team effort, earned by the scholars and experts that she assembled in her Department of the Environment. She names President Khatami as instrumental in stressing the importance of environmental initiatives.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.unep.org/champions/laureates/2006/ebtekarp.asp |title=Champions of the Earth - United Nations Environment Programme |access-date=2013-03-07 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130416015742/http://www.unep.org/champions/laureates/2006/ebtekarp.asp |archive-date=2013-04-16 |url-status=dead }}</ref> She was also named as one of 50 environmental leaders by ''The Guardian'' newspaper on January 5, January 2008; the only Iranian or Muslim woman in the list.<ref>{{cite news| title=50 people who could save the planet | work=The Guardian | date=5 January 2008 <!-- 12.55 GMT --> | url=https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2008/jan/05/activists.ethicalliving | location=London | first1=John | last1=Vidal | first2=David | last2=Adam | first3=Jonathan | last3=Watts | first4=Leo | last4=Hickman | first5=Ian | last5=Sample}}</ref>

In the 2012 editionand 2023<ref>{{cite web | url=https://themuslim500.com/profiles/masoumeh-ebtekar/ | title=Masoumeh Ebtekar }}</ref> editions of [https://web.archive.org/web/20131103145427/http://themuslim500.com/profile/dr-masoumeh-ebtekar The Muslim500] Ebtekar has been named as one of the 500 most influential Muslims in the world. Under the political section of this yearbook, Ebtekar is described as "a considerable force in the reformist movement in Iran".

The Minerva Award has been presented to famous figures active in different social, economic, political and cultural fields, and the receivers have been mainly women.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://theiranproject.com/blog/2014/11/29/ebtekar-receives-italys-minerva-award/|title=Ebtekar receives Italy's Minerva Award|work=The Iran Project|date=29 November 2014 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://roma.repubblica.it/cronaca/2014/11/27/foto/premio_minerva_2014_le_vincitrici-101618918/1/#2|title=Premio Minerva 2014, le vincitrici|date=27 November 2014|work=Roma – La Repubblica}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://roma.repubblica.it/cronaca/2014/11/27/news/premio_minerva_xxv_edizione_2014-101530204/|title=Premio Minerva XXV edizione 2014|date=27 November 2014|work=Repubblica.it}}</ref>

Ebtekar served as a moderator in June 2008 at the International "Women, Equality and Peace" Conference held in Oslo, Norway. The conference was sponsored by the Foundation for [[Dialogue Among Civilizations]], [[Club de Madrid]] and [[the Oslo Center]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://en.farzanehjournal.com/index.php/articles/no-14/19-no-14-2-report-of-the-international-workshop-on-sharing-experiences-women-equality-and-peace|titlearchive-url=HugeDomainshttps://archive.today/20130216005540/http://en.farzanehjournal.com /index.php/articles/no-14/19-no-14-2-report-of-the-international-workshop-on-sharing-experiences-women-equality-and-peace|url-status=dead|archive-date=February 16, 2013|title=FarZaneHJournal.COM is for sale (Far Zane H Journal)|website=En.farzanehjournal.com}}</ref>

Ebtekar considered for running in the [[2009 Iranian presidential election|2009 presidential election]] after [[Guardian Council]] indicated that there is no "legal restraint" against women doing so.<ref>[http{{Cite web|url=https://www.tehrantimes.com/Index_view.asp?codenews/192200/Reformist-clerics-declare-support-for-Mousavi|title=192200Reformist Ebtekarclerics doesdeclare notsupport rule out presidential candidacy. ''tehran times'',for Mousavi|date=April 1413, 2009|website=Tehran ]Times}}</ref> However, she withdrew a few weeks before the election.

After election to the City Council of Tehran in early 2007, Ebtekar began a weblog in Persian entitled "''EbtekareSabz''" under the free blog service Persianblog. In her blog she wrote 430 posts in environmental, political, social and women's issues, posted over 10,000 comments, the blog had one million viewers in 3.5 years. ''EbtekareSabz'', which criticized the policies of the government and supported the reformist movement in Iran, was filtered by the Government once in early 2010 and again in June 2010.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.aftabnews.ir/vdcaa6n6u49nw61.k5k4.html|title=وبلاگ معصومه ابتکار فیلتر شد|website=Aftabnews.ir|access-date=2010-10-07|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100614100550/http://www.aftabnews.ir/vdcaa6n6u49nw61.k5k4.html|archive-date=2010-06-14|url-status=dead}}</ref> and finally obstructed with a judicial verdict in August.<ref>[http://www.mardomak.org/n.ews/masoome_ebtekar_has_been_filtered] {{dead link|date=January 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> Citing the "right to freedom of expression in our constitution" as her incentive, she continued blogging by setting up a new blog.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.greenebtekar2.blogspot.com|title=ابتکار سبز|website=Greenebtekar2.blogspot.com}}</ref>

In May 2013, Ebtekar signed up as a candidate for Tehran in the [[2013 Iranian local elections|2013 local elections]], along with hundreds of reformist candidates. During the vetting process that is conducted by government and Majlis representatives, the majority of candidates, including Ebtekar were disqualified.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/originals/2013/05/iran-city-council-elections.html|title=Why Iran's City Council Elections Matter|work=Al-Monitor: the Pulse of the Middle East|date=17 May 2013 }}</ref> Ebtekar mentioned her harsh criticism of government policies leading to air pollution and the deterioration of environmental standards as the main reason for her disqualification.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.asriran.com/fa/news/273251|title=معصومه ابتکار: به خاطر پارازیت و آلودگی هوا ردصلاحیت شدم|first=عصر|last=ايران|website=عصر ايران}}</ref> Candidates who have objected to their disqualification will be considered for a final round in the Supreme Council for Election Regulation. She was also one of Reformists' candidates as [[Mayor of Tehran]]. However, [[Mohsen Hashemi]] becomes the final's nominate.

After [[Hassan Rouhani]] [[2013 Iranian presidential election|elected]] as [[President of Iran]], Ebtekar who supported Rouhani openly, was one of the candidates for the [[Ministry of Science, Research and Technology (Iran)|Ministry of Science]]. However, she was appointed as Head of Environmental Protection Organization on 10 September 2013, a position she had formerly served for eight years under [[Mohammad Khatami]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.tabnak.ir/fa/news/344270/%D9%85%D8%B9%D8%B5%D9%88%D9%85%D9%87-%D8%A7%D8%A8%D8%AA%DA%A9%D8%A7%D8%B1-%D8%B1%D8%A6%DB%8C%D8%B3-%D8%B3%D8%A7%D8%B2%D9%85%D8%A7%D9%86-%D8%AD%D9%81%D8%A7%D8%B8%D8%AA-%D9%85%D8%AD%DB%8C%D8%B7-%D8%B2%DB%8C%D8%B3%D8%AA-%D8%B4%D8%AF|title="معصومه ابتکار" رئیس سازمان حفاظت محیط زیست شد|website=Tabnak.ir}}</ref> On 1 August 2017, Ebtekar announced that she will be leaving her current position after the end of the [[Government of Hassan Rouhani (2013–present)|first Rouhani government]]. She was appointed as Vice President for Women Affairs'sand viceFamily presidentAffairs in [[Government of Hassan Rouhani (2017–2021)|second Rouhani government]].<ref>{{cite web | url=https://president.ir/en/100117 | title=President appoints Dr Masoumeh Ebtekar as VP for women, family affairs }}</ref>

In 2010 Ebtekar contributed to ''Moral Ground'' a testimony of over eighty visionaries—theologians and religious leaders, scientists, elected officials, business leaders, naturalists, activists, and writers—to present a diverse and compelling call to honor our individual and collective moral responsibility to our planet.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://moralground.com/about/|title=Book – Moral Ground|website=Moralground.com|access-date=2012-05-08|archive-date=2012-04-18|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120418042138/http://moralground.com/about/|url-status=dead}}</ref> In her essay entitled "Peace and Sustainability Depend on the Spiritual and the Feminine" Ebtekar provides her views on the interrelated nature of peace and sustainable development. She also took part in a project to develop a book entitled ''Women, Power and Politics in 21st Century Iran''. The book, published in 2012 by Ashgate, provides an objective perspective on the conditions of women in Iran. Chapter 10 titled "Women and the Environment" has been authored by Massoumeh Ebtekar. In 2011 Ebtekar also co-authored a chapter in the book ''Stem Cells and Cancer Stem Cells'' published by Springer. Chapter 3 "Characteristics of Cord Blood Cells" is a review performed by a team of researchers in Iran.

[[Category:FemaleWomen vice presidents of Iran]]