Dismissed University Professors Write Open Letter in Response to Masoud Pezeshkian's Claims

A group of university professors who have been dismissed in recent years wrote to the President of Iran, stating that despite his promises and 'despite individual and collective follow-ups,' they have not yet returned to the university. On Friday, December 7, 20 dismissed, suspended, and forcibly retired professors wrote in an open letter to Masoud Pezeshkian that they have been barred from attending the university due to 'defending academic freedom' and have still not returned. This comes as Masoud Pezeshkian and his first deputy, Mohammad Reza Aref, as well as Hossein Simayi Sarraf, the Minister of Science, Research, and Technology, have repeatedly announced in recent weeks and months the return of dismissed or suspended professors. In the latest instance, Mr. Pezeshkian stated on December 3 during his second television interview that many students and professors without legal issues have returned to the university. However, the protesting professors stated in their letter that the legal cases against professors 'in many cases were a result of suspension and dismissal from the university, not the cause of it.' The dismissed professors, in their open letter, expressed that there has been no change in the situation of 'most' dismissed professors and urged the President of the Islamic Republic to publish a list of individuals whom the government claims have successfully returned to work. Tahereh Shamsi, a professor at Guilan University, Mohammad Soltani Renani, a professor at Isfahan University, Mostafa Azarakhshi, a professor at Beheshti University in Tehran, and Aziz Shafiei Zarqani, a professor at Shiraz University, are among the signatories of this open letter. This is the second time that dismissed university professors have questioned the accuracy of the President's statements regarding their return to the university in an open letter. Twelve dismissed or suspended professors wrote to Masoud Pezeshkian on October 1 of this year, stating that despite his comments about the return of dismissed professors to universities, no 'effective action has been taken in this regard.' Meanwhile, Negar Zilaabi, a history professor at Beheshti University's Faculty of Theology, who has been suspended after the protests of 2022, stated at the beginning of December this year in a message on the Telegram social network that despite the primary and appellate court of the Administrative Justice ruling in her favor, the university president has refrained from implementing the return order due to pressure from her case investigator.