347 University Professors Criticize the Position of 'Some Institutions' Against the 'Will of the People' of Iran

Hundreds of university professors and educational institutions in Iran sent a letter to the President in support of the JCPOA and criticized the interference of 'some institutions' in Iran's domestic politics. The letter, published on Saturday, April 23, on the website Kalemeh, close to Mir Hossein Mousavi, has been signed by 347 professors from 72 universities and educational institutions. The signatories addressed the President of Iran, referencing Ayatollah Khomeini's remarks about the non-interference of 'some institutions' in politics and criticized what they called their 'confrontational stance' against the 'will of the people.' The letter states, 'Unfortunately, these days some institutions that, according to the great Imam (RA), are not allowed to interfere in politics, are openly taking a confrontational stance against the will of the people and are belittling the efforts and commitment of the experienced, specialized, and conscientious politicians of our Foreign Ministry, acting against the national will.' The letter adds, 'In the current tense situation of the region, where Iran's prudent policy in the nuclear agreement has provoked the anger of regional monopolistic powers, all forces in the system are expected to create conditions for greater successes of the government in both domestic and foreign arenas.' The letter does not specify the types of institutions that, according to the signatories, are interfering in politics, but Ayatollah Khomeini, the founder of the Islamic Republic, always prohibited military personnel from entering politics during his leadership, considering such interference as a cancerous growth of the entire system and society. However, in recent years, some military officials have described the activities of military institutions in the political arena as permissible, disregarding this explicit directive from the founder of the Islamic Revolution. For instance, in May 2009, the Commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps claimed that the activities of non-military sections of the IRGC, including the Basij, in presidential elections are not legally prohibited, a statement that faced protests from reformists. President Hassan Rouhani emphasized on April 17 this year during Army Day that this 'military institution belongs to the entire nation,' asserting, 'If someone wants to be affiliated with a party or faction, they should not be in the army.' The letter from university professors is sent to Hassan Rouhani at a time when he mentioned in his speech on December 7 at Sharif University of Technology that there might still be a 'security atmosphere' in universities and that 'criticism of some powers and institutions might be difficult,' suggesting that 'for now, let’s start criticism from the government and the President.' Support for the nuclear agreement is also expressed in the letter. The professors praised the efforts of the Foreign Minister and officials of this ministry, referred to as 'experienced, specialized, and conscientious politicians,' and called for the authorities to value the votes and opinions of the people. The authors of this letter consider the achievement of a nuclear agreement with global powers as a 'rare event' and refer to it as a historical rational model for peacefully resolving disputes in international relations, which has created 'respect and honorable credibility for the country and people of Iran at the regional and global levels.' According to these professors, resolving economic crises and achieving economic prosperity requires comprehensive national dialogue among the political elites of the country and the development of Iran's international relations. The letter calls for the expansion of the national dialogue space, trust in social capital, and the expansion of social participation, considering the outcome to be an increase in national wealth and economic stability. The university professors emphasized that only through national reconciliation, the expansion of the national dialogue space, and ethical conduct in politics can the crises and disputes of recent years be overcome. The signatories of this letter, from reputable universities across Iran, concluded by stating that they will continue to support the domestic and foreign policies of Hassan Rouhani and the eleventh government. The letter from university professors and educational institutions is published while the second round of parliamentary elections is set to be held on Friday, May 1.