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The son of a former top-level Iranian official, who acted as the spokesperson for hostage takers occupying Tehran’s U.S. Embassy in 1979, is yet another relative of Iran’s hard-lined Islamist regime caught living a comfortable and affluent Western lifestyle in Los Angeles.
Petitioners have been calling for Eissa Hashemi, 43, to be investigated and deported, arguing it is unfair for the relatives of these Iranian leaders to enjoy the freedom and privileges afforded to people in the West, and more particularly in the United States, while their government in Iran continues to oppress and restrict its people from exercising rights seen as basic within America.
In addition to Hashemi, the niece and grandniece of the late Iranian terror mastermind Qasem Soleimani, have also been living comfortably in Los Angeles until recently, when they were taken into custody by federal immigration officials and had their green cards taken away by the State Department. Sheila Nazarian, who fled Iran as a child, slammed the late-terror leader’s relatives for posting photos on social media of themselves in bikinis, on yachts, next to helicopters, and wearing other clothing that otherwise could get them killed in Iran.
Fox News Digital obtained photos of Hashemi at what the New York Post described as a “fancy” gym in Los Angeles, during which he reportedly brushed off a reporter’s questions. Hashemi is the son of Masoumeh Ebtekar, dubbed by the American media as “Screaming Mary” amid her role acting as the spokesperson for the hostage takers who captured more than 50 American hostages at the U.S. Embassy in Tehran in 1979 where they were held captive for over a year.
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Ebtekar also served in a formal role as Vice President of Women and Family Affairs in Iran between 2017 and 2021. PBS’s Frontline dubbed her “one of the highest-ranking women in the Muslim world” during an interview with the Muslim leader in 2002.
Meanwhile, Ebtekar’s son appears to be living in the Los Angeles area while holding down a job as an adjunct psychology professor at the Chicago School of Professional Psychology.
According to the U.S.-funded Radio Free Europe, his now-deleted LinkedIn page previously indicated in 2015 that he was a doctoral student at the Los Angeles branch of the Chicago School of Professional Psychology.
The outlet also indicated that his wife, Maryam Tahmasebi, also had her home listed in Los Angeles on her social media profiles, and added that the information had been confirmed through an anonymous source that Radio Free Liberty described as an “acquaintance” to the couple. A spokesperson identifying themselves as the administrator of Massumeh Ebtekar’s web pages reportedly indicated the couple made a “personal decision” to study abroad after completing their master’s programs in Iran.
The outlet also recounted a 2008 interview Hashemi conducted.
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“In an interview published in 2008, Hashemi provided a rare window into his views on the hostage crisis, saying he got a grasp of the reasons behind it after reading a book his mother published in Canada,” the outlet reported, adding a quote from Hashemi’s interview about his view on the hostage crisis his mom played a pivotal role in: “When mother’s book was translated from English, I understood the issue fully,” he said, according to PBS at the time. “The students then had a big move, an important cause.”
According to the New York Post, people have been protesting against Hashemi living in the United States for months. There are several petitions registered on Change.org calling on him to be investigated and deported, some of which have been put under review by the petition website, according to a Fox News Digital review of recent petitions on Change.org
The Post added that records show Hashemi is residing in Agoura Hills, inside Los Angeles County, with his fellow psychology professor wife Maryam Tahmasebi.
A protester holds ‘Stop executions in Iran’ and ‘Free Iran’ placards during the demonstration. Demonstrators gathered outside Downing Street in protest against executions in Iran and in support of freedom for Iran. (Vuk Valcic/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)
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“The presence of these families often feels like a slap in the face to those advocating for freedom and justice in Iran. It is time to address this issue by taking a firm stance against hosting the families of those involved with a government that does not align with U.S. values,” one of the remaining petitions on Change.org states. “A concrete and actionable solution would be for immigration and Homeland Security officials to review and, where necessary, revoke visas or residency permits for families of officials complicit in human rights violations. This scrutiny would demonstrate the U.S.’s commitment to human rights and ensure its policies are consistent with its values.”
