President Rouhani talks about freer universities, but repression holds fast.
“Trust the universities. Don’t block scientific diplomacy,” Iranian president Hassan Rouhani spoke in a quiet yet solemn tone of voice as he delivered his speech at Tehran University in October 2013. Speaking before the chancellor, professors and students, he exhorted “all security apparatuses, including the intelligence ministry,” to allow lecturers to take part in international conferences, in order to “open the way for this diplomacy.”
Elected with 50% of the vote, and sworn into office in August of 2013, Rouhani promises to re-open Iran to the world, including the United States. He says he believes universities can provide a useful stepping stone to this end, calling it “a shame for an administration that its students and professors are not able to express their viewpoints. This administration will not tolerate factional pressures on universities.” He repeated this concept of greater freedom late last year and emphasized it further in front of an audience of women at a joint celebration of National Women’s Day and Mothers’ Day, which happened to fall on the same day in April.
But after more than two years in office, is an ‘academic spring’ still truly on the cards in Iran?
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President Rouhani talks about freer universities, but repression holds fast.
“Trust the universities. Don’t block scientific diplomacy,” Iranian president Hassan Rouhani spoke in a quiet yet solemn tone of voice as he delivered his speech at Tehran University in October 2013. Speaking before the chancellor, professors and students, he exhorted “all security apparatuses, including the intelligence ministry,” to allow lecturers to take part in international conferences, in order to “open the way for this diplomacy.”
