Dismissal of Managers 'Who Should Not Be at Azad University'

The president of Islamic Azad University announced that managers with whom they cannot 'work' have been informed to leave the university. According to a report on Tuesday (August 15) by the official news agency of the judiciary of the Islamic Republic (Mizan), Farhad Rahbar made this statement during the introduction ceremony of the new president of the Medical Sciences University of Islamic Azad University. He described the 'changes and transformations' at Azad University as necessary to reach 'the peak as quickly as possible' and added, 'We have informed individuals who should not be at this university, and notifications have been made.' Mr. Rahbar did not provide further details about who has been informed regarding the termination of their collaboration with Azad University and the reasons for it. Following the death of Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani and the appointment of Ali Akbar Velayati by Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the leader of the Islamic Republic, as the head of the founding board and trustees, the university has undergone significant changes. Subsequently, the board of trustees of Islamic Azad University held an extraordinary meeting on May 23 of this year, selecting Ali Mohammad Nourian as the caretaker of the university, replacing Hamid Mirzadeh. Mr. Velayati has accused the former president of Azad University, Hamid Mirzadeh, of 'economic corruption.' The dismissal of Mr. Mirzadeh has also faced objections from Hassan Khomeini, a member of the founding board and board of trustees of this university. According to Mizan, Mr. Velayati commented on Hassan Khomeini's absence from board meetings, stating that 'he probably has commitments that prevent him from attending the meetings.' He added that Mr. Khomeini 'is a member of the board of trustees and can attend meetings whenever he wishes.' The board of trustees of Azad University has also introduced Farhad Rahbar as the new president of the university to the Supreme Council of the Cultural Revolution. He previously served as the president of Tehran University for six years during Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's administration and had worked as the secretary of the economic working group of Astan Quds Razavi, and he was a supporter of Ebrahim Raisi in the recent presidential elections. With the beginning of Rahbar's presidency at Azad University, a wave of changes also reached the media affiliated with Azad University. Three managers of affiliated media, namely the Ana news agency, Iscanews, and the Farhikhtegan newspaper, were immediately dismissed, and with the arrival of new managers, the editorial team also underwent changes, resulting in widespread layoffs of journalists from these media outlets.