Kamangir (Archer)

You have probably heard that an Iranian university, which is interestingly located in the holy city of Mashhad, invited Bush for a speech, something they compared to Ahmadinejad’s speech in Columbia University. That invitation was clearly dismissed, but a former reformist professor has more to say about this whole affair.

Ahmad Shirzad, former reformist MP and the holder of a Ph.D. in Physics, is especially hated by the administration because of his harsh criticism of their nuclear ambitions, something he argues against based on his professional knowledge in nuclear research. As a result, Shirzad is unofficially banned from giving speeches in any university. He writes, “Was there no other way for us to prove that our universities are independent, than inviting Bush?” He adds “In spite of many invitations, I have been always banned from giving speeches in universities” [Persian].