Massoumeh Ebtekar, the head of Iran’s Department of the Environment, will become the first woman to ever speak at Tehran’s Friday Mass Prayers this Friday January 17.

The Etemad daily reports that Ebtekar who the first woman in government administration in the Islamic Republic taking over the Department of Environment in the government of Mohammad Khatami in 1997, will also become the first to speak at a Friday Mass.

The report adds that Ebtekar’s speech will mark the beginning of Clean Week, which highlights environmental awareness and cleaning efforts.

Ebtekar has been highly critical of the former administration’s report card on environmental issues and has issued warnings regarding the depletion of water resources and increasing greenhouse emissions all across the country.

Radio Zamaneh