A Union Official Speaks of 'Government Interference in Universities'; The Ministry of Interior Issues Orders to Universities

A higher education union official in Iran states that 'government interference in universities has increased' and 'it is the Ministry of Interior that issues orders to universities.' Karan Abri-Nia, the secretary of the university professors' union, told the 'Khabar Online' website: 'The restrictions and security issues dominating universities are from the Ministry of Interior and the National Security Council; in this situation, it can be said that the Ministry of Science has no role.' In part of his remarks about 'restrictions and deprivations,' he mentioned that in the year 1402 (2023), these restrictions affected 'about 200 university professors, and nearly 25 professors were expelled from universities.' Abri-Nia attributed much of the restrictions imposed on university professors to 'their stance on the events of the year 1401 (2022),' while emphasizing that 'some also faced restrictions due to union activities' within the Iranian university professors' union, which, according to this official, 'is authorized to operate by the Ministry of Interior.' According to the legal consulting center 'Dadban,' more than 66 university professors have been 'dismissed, suspended, or forced to resign' in the past two years. Mohammad Moqimi, the president of Tehran University, claimed in an interview published by the 'Mehr' news agency on March 21 of last year that 'I have always said that there are no dismissed professors at Tehran University.' In this context, members of seven scientific associations in the country issued a statement on September 19 of last year warning about 'the widespread dismissal of professors and security confrontations with students,' stating that the gradual and currently accelerating 'decline' of the institution of science exacerbates the current dismal inefficiency of the governing system. Based on published reports, Tehran University and Tehran University of Medical Sciences had 26 dismissals, Allameh University had 5, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad had 6, Azad University had 14, Babol University of Medical Sciences had 2, Iran University of Medical Sciences had 3, and Hakim Sabzevari University, Tarbiat Modares University, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Mazandaran University, Shiraz University, Gilan University, and Sharif University of Technology each had one dismissal in the two years of Ebrahim Raisi's government. The pressures and interventions of the Iranian government's security institutions in universities, as well as the crackdown on protesting professors and students, have intensified since September 2021, following widespread protests over the death of Mahsa Amini in the custody of the Islamic Republic's 'morality police.' The president of Tehran University of Medical Sciences denied the expulsion of professors, stating: 'We have no dismissed professors.' The former Minister of Health of Iran stated that the Raisi government has expelled the best professors from Tehran University of Medical Sciences. Reactions to the statements of the president of Tehran University continue: a sociologist stated: 'The university is in the hands of security forces.' The president of Tehran University said: 'We have no dismissed professors'; one professor remarked: 'They are playing with words; I have a suspension order.' Exclusive: Mohammad Saadati, a dismissed professor from Birjand University, stated: 'I was expelled for criticizing the suppression of protesters.' Punishment of protesting academics; the council under Ali Khamenei has made 'the right to seek justice and redress' for students and professors impossible.