By Ahmed Abdelsalam
Iranian university students are facing disciplinary hearings and potential expulsion for participating in anti-government protests, as authorities intensify a campaign to silence dissent amid war and economic crisis.
Pressure Mounts on Campus Activists
After joining an anti-government protest on campus, a social sciences student was summoned before a panel that included a cleric representing Iran's supreme leader and an unidentified official. The panel asked pointed questions about the student's reaction to the killing of former Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei in airstrikes on February 28. Scores of students across Iran are undergoing similar proceedings, according to student unions and rights monitors.
Cleric Warns of Internal Threat
Ahmad Alamolhoda, the Friday prayer leader in Mashhad and the supreme leader's representative in the province, warned that campus dissent is a threat to Iran's rulers that must be ended. He called on universities to track down offending elements and prepare for dealing with them. The directive followed earlier statements by judiciary chief Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei that judicial authorities would prosecute campus crimes if educational officials failed to control them.
Expulsions Rise at Major Universities
Reformist newspaper Shargh reported a growing tally of expulsions at half a dozen universities in Tehran, including at least 10 at the University of Tehran and 10 at Amir Kabir University. At Sharif University, administrators have reviewed cases against some 250 students, with at least 40 facing hearings and 10 expelled, according to student union president Farzad Rahmani.
Basij and Security Agencies Lead Panels
Disciplinary panels typically include university administrators, faculty, a representative of the supreme leader, and the campus security agency Harasat, which operates under the Intelligence Ministry. Members of the Basij volunteer militia, which maintains a presence on campuses, also often participate. Exiled activist Ali Taghipour said the Basij and Harasat play a strong role in identifying suspect students and building cases against them.
Students Fear Escalation Amid War
Students describe pressure to recant anti-government stances to avoid punishment, with some receiving death threats after their identities were published on pro-government social media. The ongoing war and U.S. naval blockade have worsened Iran's economic crisis, and many students fear a return to escalated fighting will increase the heat on them. One undergraduate said the war has made it easier for authorities to crack down and securitize everything.
