TEHRAN: Masoumeh Ebtekar, President Hassan Rouhani’s deputy for women’s affairs and the highest-ranking woman in the government, was at least the seventh Iranian official to test positive for COVID-19.

A senior figure in Iran’s government, who sits just a few seats away from President Hassan Rouhani at cabinet meetings, Masoumeh Ebtekar, has fallen ill with coronavirus, making her Iran’s seventh official to test positive, including one prominent cleric who has died.

Masoumeh Ebtekar, is Iran’s vice president for women and family affairs and now she has quarantined herself at home.

The disclosure came a day after a cabinet meeting in which she was in close contact with other government leaders, including Mr. Rouhani.

Ms. Ebtekar, one of four vice presidents, was known to Americans as “Mary” during the Tehran hostage crisis four decades ago, when, as a young revolutionary, she was a spokeswoman for the captors of the 52 Americans held at the United States Embassy.

(With input from Agencies)