Continuous Membership of Political Figures in the Academy of Sciences; Newspaper 'Payam-e Ma': It is Unconventional

On Tuesday, October 3, the newspaper 'Payam-e Ma' described the appointment of 17 new members to the Academy of Sciences following the resignation of Reza Faraji Dana, the Academy's secretary, as 'unconventional' and cited an informed source stating that most of these individuals are 'political figures.' In a letter published on September 21, Reza Faraji Dana had referred to his resignation as a 'historical innovation.' In its report titled 'Innovation in the Academy of Sciences,' 'Payam-e Ma' quoted a member of the institution stating that 'except for two or three of the new members' who have previously been associated with this scientific-cultural institution, the rest of the new members are 'political figures' and have been issued 'permanent membership.' These appointments come less than two months after the appointment of the new president of the Academy of Sciences of the Islamic Republic. The introduction session for the president of the Academy of Sciences of the Islamic Republic of Iran took place on July 31, where Mohammad-Reza Makber Dezfuli was introduced by Ibrahim Raisi, the President of the Islamic Republic, to replace Reza Davari Ardakani, who had held the presidency of the Academy for 25 years since 1998. This informed source told the Tehran-based newspaper that the resolution of the Supreme Council of the Cultural Revolution during Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's presidency regarding 'the membership of certain individuals' in this Academy 'was not implemented during the presidency of Reza Davari Ardakani but has been executed with the coming to power of Mohammad-Reza Makber Dezfuli.' Based on the published image of Reza Faraji Dana's resignation letter, he referred to the 'interference' of the Supreme Council of the Cultural Revolution of the Islamic Republic in 'the appointment of certain individuals to permanent membership' in this Academy without 'the opinion and vote' of the general assembly, considering such an action a 'historical innovation.' The 'unconventional' appointment of 17 members to the Academy of Sciences continues the wave of dismissals of university professors in Iran who supported popular protests following the death of Mahsa Amini in police custody. Additionally, dozens of academic figures abroad have protested the trend of dismissals of university professors in Iran. Jinous Taghizadeh, a multimedia artist, emphasized that the Islamic Republic's efforts to 'militarize universities' have been ongoing for years, stating to Voice of America that brilliant professors in Iran were eliminated after the 'Cultural Revolution' and that this wave has been repeated in various periods. The ongoing pressure and repression; forced retirement of professors, deprivation of education, and detention of students are highlighted in reports from Associated Press regarding the repression of universities and the security atmosphere in Iran on the first anniversary of Mahsa Amini's death.