General Prosecuting Attorney, Cleric Dorri Najafabadi, issued a letter blaming the administration for their lack of strict control over Iranian students abroad. According to Roozonline [Persian], the letter advocates for a decision made earlier for creating Islamic councils in foreign universities, as well as secret surveillance of the students in order to discover and persecute those who “act in contrary to the national security and the Islamic identity”.
The letter also emphasizes on more sever actions, including making students barred from getting back to the country. The letter demands the authorities to reply rapidly on how they have acted in this regard.
Rooz writes, “Currently, 70,000 Iranian students study abroad, most of whom are not supported by grants from the Islamic Republic. Ahmadinejad tried to decrease this number as soon as he took the power”. The author calls these measures “Exporting the second cultural revolution abroad”.
Well, I can see very well where this is heading. The Soviet Union barred studies abroad for those who weren’t “politically trusted”, and in fact merely visiting a foreign country involved strict regulation and KGB supervision unless it was to an allied Communist country. What Najafabadi is suggesting is an after-the-fact equivalent of the same policy: monitor those who are abroad, don’t let them come back unless they’re “politically trustworthy” so that their “evil notions” do not spread, and put in strict regulation to prevent the “mistake” from recurring.
Oh yes, welcome to the Revolution.
Comment by Roman Kalik — November 18, 2007 @ 10:44 am