BEHIND THE IRAN HEADLINES Series, August 31, 2023, Alireza Jafarzadeh, NCRI-US Deputy Director
As the academic year begins and the anniversary of Iran’s 2022 uprising approaches, the regime has escalated its clampdown on universities, including faculty dismissals, student arrests, and expulsions.
These actions highlight the regime’s fear of academic institutions, the vanguard of anti-dictatorial movements in Iran, both under the dictatorship of the Shah and the current theocracy.
Last year, universities played a leading role in popularizing the patriotic slogan “Down with the oppressors, be it the Shah or the Supreme Leader,” in protests across Iran.
Recently, numerous professors have been ousted from leading universities like Sharif University of Technology and Tehran University. Leaked documents from Ebrahim Raisi’s presidential office highlight concerns about “the provocative role of a number of professors to create student protest and destructive actions.”
According to a document published and circulated in universities, the government of Raisi has initiated the process of recruiting 15,000 Basij members and regime supporters as faculty members.
Additionally, Tehran University has announced plans to enroll members of Iraq’s Popular Mobilization Forces, also called Hashd-al-Shaabi, an organization with close ties to the Quds Force in Iraq.
Maryam Rajavi, president-elect of the NCRI, warned that the regime’s suppressive tactics will not prevent future uprisings. She urged global unions of students and academics to condemn these actions and assist their Iranian counterparts.
Iran’s Universities Targeted as Uprising Anniversary Approaches
As the academic year begins and the anniversary of Iran’s 2022 uprising approaches, the regime has escalated its clampdown on universities, including faculty dismissals, student arrests, and expulsions.
These actions highlight the regime’s fear of academic institutions, the vanguard of anti-dictatorial movements in Iran, both under the dictatorship of the Shah and the current theocracy.
Last year, universities played a leading role in popularizing the patriotic slogan “Down with the oppressors, be it the Shah or the Supreme Leader,” in protests across Iran.
Recently, numerous professors have been ousted from leading universities like Sharif University of Technology and Tehran University. Leaked documents from Ebrahim Raisi’s presidential office highlight concerns about “the provocative role of a number of professors to create student protest and destructive actions.”
According to a document published and circulated in universities, the government of Raisi has initiated the process of recruiting 15,000 Basij members and regime supporters as faculty members.
Additionally, Tehran University has announced plans to enroll members of Iraq’s Popular Mobilization Forces, also called Hashd-al-Shaabi, an organization with close ties to the Quds Force in Iraq.
Maryam Rajavi, president-elect of the NCRI, warned that the regime’s suppressive tactics will not prevent future uprisings. She urged global unions of students and academics to condemn these actions and assist their Iranian counterparts.