Education Ministry Plans to Combat Salafism Among Youth

The Iranian Minister of Education announced that the ministry has chosen to address 'Salafism' as the 'most prioritized' issue in its 'think tank' and has made plans that are 'currently being implemented.' In recent years, officials of the Islamic Republic have accused Saudi Arabia of being a breeding ground for 'Salafist' thought. Ali Asghar Fani, the Minister of Education in Hassan Rouhani's government, stated in an interview with the Iranian Labor News Agency, ILNA, published on Tuesday, August 9, that after holding several sessions in the ministry's 'think tank,' the 'most prioritized' issue was selected from among the proposed topics. He added, 'Work has been done on the issue of Salafism and the impacts of this mindset on the youth, and plans have been made based on this output, which are currently being implemented and included in our programs.' Mr. Fani did not provide further details about the ministry's plans to combat 'Salafism' and did not clarify whether these programs will be implemented nationwide or only in certain provinces. His remarks come at a time when Islamic Republic officials had previously only warned about the spread of 'Salafism' in Sunni-majority provinces of Iran. Meanwhile, the Ministry of Education's engagement in this issue may indicate that the Islamic Republic considers Salafism and its spread among the populace to be a fundamental problem. 'Salafism' in political discourse generally refers to individuals and groups seeking a return to the religious teachings of the Prophet Muhammad and Islamic law, viewing other Islamic sects, such as Shia, as heretical. Warnings from Islamic Republic officials about 'Salafism' have increased following the rise of the Islamic State (ISIS), which they refer to as 'Takfiri.' In December 2014, a two-day congress entitled 'The Danger of Takfiri Movements' was held, chaired by Nasir Makarem Shirazi, a Shia cleric, with the participation of '315 Sunni and Shia clerics' in Iran. During this congress, Ibrahim Amin, head of Hezbollah's office in Lebanon, called for the establishment of an 'Islamic Scholars Council Against Extremism.' The Islamic Republic also accuses political and armed opposition groups in Sunni-majority provinces of having 'Salafi' ideologies and ties to 'Takfiri' groups. Meanwhile, Iran's Ministry of Intelligence has accused members of the 'Jihad and Tawhid' group, of which 20 members were reportedly executed on Tuesday, August 2, of holding 'Takfiri Salafi beliefs.' Most of these individuals have denied the accusations made by Islamic Republic officials and have stated in videos and writings released from them that they have been in 'solitary confinement' and 'under torture' for a long time.