Disruption at Allameh University’s Free Speech Event and Cancellation of Talks by Two Reformist Figures

The speeches of Mohammad Ali Najafi and Mohsen Mehralizadeh, two reformist figures, at Allameh Tabatabai University were canceled due to the throwing of "pepper spray" or "tear gas" in the ceremony hall. Additionally, several other political activists, including Ebrahim Yazdi and Azar Mansouri, were also prevented from speaking. According to ILNA news agency, on Tuesday, December 6, during the Student Day ceremony at Allameh Tabatabai University, "some unidentified individuals threw pepper spray into the hall, causing the event to be abandoned halfway through." The report states that students, while leaving the hall singing the song "Yar-e Dabestani," suddenly began to cough due to the pepper spray released in the hall. ILNA reports that during the Student Day event at Allameh University, "some unidentified individuals threw pepper spray into the hall." Meanwhile, IRNA news agency reported that the speeches of Mohammad Ali Najafi, a reformist figure and former head of the Ministry of Science under Hassan Rouhani, and Mohsen Mehralizadeh, head of the Physical Education Organization during Mohammad Khatami's presidency, which were supposed to take place after this free speech event, were "canceled due to the throwing of pepper spray or tear gas." This news agency also mentioned that "Mohammad Ali Najafi had not accepted the invitation beforehand, but Mohsen Mehralizadeh canceled his speech after learning about the hall's situation." According to the report, Hossein Salimi, the president of Allameh Tabatabai University, promised students that after reviewing the surveillance camera footage of the hall, those responsible for the incident would be dealt with, but students were not satisfied and demanded a public review of the footage. Meanwhile, Hassan Maleki, the cultural deputy of Allameh University, completely rejected the involvement of the university's security in this incident. On the same day, the Mizan website reported that "due to pressures from outside organizations," Ebrahim Yazdi's speech, the secretary-general of the Freedom Movement, was "prevented" at the Faculty of Literature at Tehran University. According to this website, the reading of Mr. Yazdi's message by Emad Bahavar, head of the youth branch of the Freedom Movement of Iran, was also "prevented." According to the report, Mr. Yazdi stated in a message read by the event's host that "some ignorant and careless individuals inside the country are creating conflict and tension in the same way that ISIS does." He advised students not to fall into the "trap of confrontation" and "trap of violence" against these groups. Ultimately, in this event, Faezah Hashemi, the daughter of Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani and a former parliament representative, delivered a speech. According to Mizan news agency, in this event, Hashim Sabaghian, a member of the Freedom Movement, Abdollah Ramazanzadeh, spokesperson for Mohammad Khatami's government, Masoud Adib, a cleric supporting Mir Hossein Mousavi, and Majid Tavakoli, a student activist and former political prisoner, were present. The report also mentioned that students were holding pictures of Mir Hossein Mousavi, Haleh Sahabi, Mohammad Khatami, Mehdi Bazargan, Ayatollah Hossein Ali Montazeri, Ebrahim Yazdi, and Bahareh Hedayat. According to the AANA news agency, affiliated with Azad University, Faezah Hashemi stated: "I see pictures in this hall that many dare not even mention their names." A day before the cancellation of Ebrahim Yazdi's speech, Mustafa Moein's speech, the Minister of Science during Mohammad Khatami's presidency, took place at Arak University despite previous threats. Some extremist groups had threatened to disrupt Mustafa Moein's speech on Student Day by installing banners at Arak University. Reports also indicated that on Tuesday, the speeches of Azar Mansouri and Jahangir Khanjani, two reformist activists, at Shahid Chamran University in Ahvaz were canceled after the gathering of student Basij forces and their "attack" on Azar Mansouri. Meanwhile, Mehr news agency reported a "physical confrontation" between the Basij student officials at Ahvaz University and the event organizers. According to ISNA news agency, "a few protesting students attacked Azar Mansouri, but other students prevented them from moving forward." The report stated that "the protesting students stormed towards the speakers' podium, but were directed out of the hall by other students and university security forces to prevent harm to the guests." According to ISNA news agency, Azar Mansouri could not speak at this event, and only Jahangir Khanjani "gave a short speech at this event." Meanwhile, ILNA news agency reported that protesters had gathered at Ahvaz airport, and ultimately these two reformist activists "managed to leave the airport with the presence of some officials." In recent weeks, speeches by Abdolvahed Mousavi Lari, a member of the reformist policy council, in Qarchak, and Azar Mansouri, a member of the United Nation Party, at Azad University in Yasouj have also been attacked. The Coordination Council of Reformist Front issued a statement on Thursday, December 3, requesting the Ministry of Interior to prevent attacks on reformist speeches and also asked the judiciary to address the "crimes" of the attackers or, as stated in this statement, the "disruptors of public order." Abdolreza Rahmani Fazli, Iran's Minister of Interior, emphasized the need to ensure security for legal gatherings and reported on the incident in Qarchak, stating that the case of the "organizers and planners" of this incident, who "insist on their actions," would be referred to the judiciary. However, in response, Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei, spokesperson for the judiciary, merely advised that speeches that might provoke reactions from certain groups and "disrupt the atmosphere" should not be held at all.