Reports received by Voice of America indicate that the Art Faculty of Shiraz University has terminated its collaboration with Parisa PourMohammadi, an archaeology professor. The news of this termination was communicated to her via a 'phone call' in early September of this year. Following this, Ms. PourMohammadi was barred from teaching in the new academic year. A source told Voice of America that the termination occurred without any replacement professor being appointed for the specialized courses she taught. Regarding the reason for the termination of collaboration with PourMohammadi, it was stated that no official reason was given, but this action was likely related to her posts on social media during the nationwide protests. According to this source, she has mentioned her activities to promote Iranian culture and language and has decided to continue offering courses on ancient languages in a virtual format through cultural and educational foundations, establishing virtual schools of ancient Iran. In recent months, the trend of removing critical or non-aligned professors through suspension, dismissal, and forced retirement has intensified, with dozens of them sidelined from teaching in universities across Iran. Mohsen Borhani, a suspended professor at Tehran University, stated that the government of Ebrahim Raisi had been planning to restrict universities and dismiss professors days before the killing of Mahsa Amini in custody and the onset of nationwide protests. This law professor told the newspaper Etemad on Wednesday, October 5, that a month after Raisi's government took office, a directive was issued to deal with critical professors. Media and officials of the Islamic Republic have defended the dismissals, claiming that these actions were legal. Ali Afshari, a political analyst, assessed the dismissal of university professors as part of the anti-intellectual stance of the Islamic Republic. He stated that the expulsion of professors further globalizes the anti-intellectual image of the Islamic Republic.
Exclusive; Shiraz University Art Faculty Cuts Ties with Archaeology Professor
The Art Faculty of Shiraz University has terminated its collaboration with archaeology professor Parisa PourMohammadi, likely due to her social media activity during protests. This incident reflects a broader trend of dismissing critical academics in Iran, raising concerns about academic freedom and government repression.
👥 Key Players
📰 What Happened
Shiraz University terminated its collaboration with archaeology professor Parisa PourMohammadi, likely due to her social media activity during protests. This reflects a broader trend of dismissing critical academics in Iran.
- Parisa PourMohammadi was informed of her termination via phone call.
- Her dismissal is part of a wider pattern of academic repression in Iran.
💡 Why It Matters
📚 Background
Iran has seen increasing government control over universities, especially following the protests sparked by Mahsa Amini's death.
Translated from the original and edited for English readers. View original source →
Translation confidence: 85%