Khamenei Warns: Universities Targeted by 'Greatest Conspiracies'

Ali Khamenei, the leader of the Islamic Republic, warned students and university professors that dominant systems in the world aim to influence their thoughts to achieve their goals. Speaking on Wednesday, November 20, to university heads and higher education centers, Khamenei stated: "Today, universities and students are targets of the greatest conspiracies. Old and new colonial dominance is no longer practical. They are now seeking to shape the thoughts of active, intelligent, and elite elements within a country to fulfill their objectives." These remarks follow previous warnings by the leader regarding the 'influence current' in the country. Ayatollah Khamenei had previously stated that following the nuclear agreement between Iran and world powers, the U.S. sought 'influence' in the country through nuclear negotiations, remarks that coincided with the IRGC's actions in detaining several media activists. However, now the leader warns about the intellectual impacts of foreign systems on the country's academics and elites. In part of his remarks on Wednesday, in response to criticisms sometimes voiced by Iran's intellectual elites about societal conditions, he labeled them as 'self-deprecating' and suffering from a 'sense of inferiority.' Ayatollah Khamenei said: "The feeling of inferiority is very dangerous. The whole world says Iran is a dear and powerful country, and enemies are upset about the influence of the Islamic Republic. Yet some in universities or newspapers, with self-deprecation, say we are nothing and isolated. Why do you see yourselves as lesser, and why do you also view the Iranian nation and the Islamic Republic as lesser?" Khamenei also criticized the holding of music concerts in Iranian universities and mixed-gender student camps, stating: "Some have confused cultural work in universities with concerts and mixed camps; what benefit have the West gained from mixing? Islam recognizes humanity and has prescribed hijab and non-mixing." He added: "Cultural work should cultivate students to be virtuous, revolutionary, committed to ideals, loving their country and system, insightful, self-confident, full of hope, and with a correct understanding of the country's situation; give the faithful and revolutionary youth opportunities." Previously, the head of Khamenei's representative office in Iranian universities stated that all universities in the country have been notified that they do not have the right to hold concerts in the university environment. Khamenei had also addressed this issue in his speeches last summer, mentioning that a student reminded him that 'the university is not a place for concerts.' However, the cancellation of concert programs in Iran by security and judicial bodies is not limited to universities but has also affected public venues, to the extent that the Friday prayer leader of a city like Mashhad stated that since the entire city of Mashhad is the shrine of the eighth Shiite Imam, holding concerts in this city is 'entertainment in his shrine.' In this context, a senior IRGC commander threatened those who 'question the issue of influence.' An IRGC expert stated that detained journalists were linked to Western espionage networks. The Minister of Culture stated that Friday prayer leaders and the judiciary are also involved in the cancellation of concerts. The Minister of Interior noted that there is no law in Khorasan Razavi to prohibit concerts.