Closure of the Iranian Sociological Association Building by Municipality Under Zakhani's Management

Domestic media reported on Tuesday, July 23, the closure of the Iranian Sociological Association building by the municipality managed by Alireza Zakhani in Tehran. Witnesses reported that the association's belongings were thrown out of the building, which had been in their possession since 2013, and a guard from the Tehran municipality was stationed next to the unit. Saeed Moayedfar, the president of the Iranian Sociological Association, announced on July 8 that the Tehran municipality had issued an 'eviction order' for the association's building and threatened to forcibly remove the association's belongings and throw them into the street in response to a request for an extension. He criticized Zakhani's urban management approach and obtaining a 'judicial order' for the 'eviction order,' adding, 'This action by the Tehran municipality contradicts the city council's directive, which in a resolution in 2013 requested the municipality to provide spaces for scientific, social, and cultural institutions.' The Iranian Sociological Association has been active since the 1990s and has dozens of branches in various cities across the country. According to Moayedfar, the main activities of the sociological association focus on social sciences, holding meetings, producing scientific journals, and organizing conferences conducted by sociologists and social science professionals both domestically and internationally. In recent months, the Tehran municipality has closed dozens of reputable NGOs, social welfare charities, and research centers. The eviction order for the House of Human Sciences last year was one of these cases, leading to a several-day sit-in by members and employees and requests from prominent figures in the humanities to halt the eviction. The closure of the House of Human Sciences by the Tehran municipality marks the latest confrontation between the government and intellectual thought. The Tehran municipality issued an 'eviction order' for the 'Sociologists' Association' with over 500 members. The Iranian Sociological Association warned about the 'deepening' of crises; Raisi stated that 'hard decisions' are to be made. Reactions to the eviction of the 'House of Human Sciences' indicate an effort for 'complete purification.' A gathering of humanities professors at the House of Human Sciences faced a 'Taliban-like' attack from the municipality for the closure.