The problems that young Bahá’ís in Iran face are intertwined. A Bahá’í individual in Iran knows even before reaching the stage of youth that they will most likely be banned from entering university. This awareness of what awaits them can lead to a decrease in their motivation during secondary education.

Many young Bahá’ís have shared their experiences during a time when their classmates were busy preparing for the university entrance exam. While students were caught up in the stress and preparation for the exam, Bahá’í youth had to think about what other options were available to them besides studying at government universities in Iran.

These options are not many: studying at a Bahai university, leaving the country, or working in the private sector.

In the following, we will refer to the problems that each of these three options will have.

Studying at the Baha’i University

The Bahá’í Institute of Higher Education, known as BIHE, was founded in 1366 (1987). This university is not recognized by the Islamic Republic, and has faced attacks by security forces and legal prosecution multiple times. It does not have an official administrative office and the degrees it offers are not accepted in Iran. However, students at this university learn practical skills in their fields of study, but without a recognized degree, it is often not enough to enter the job market.

A large number of universities outside of Iran have recognized the Bachelor’s degree from the Bahai University and have accepted graduates of this university for Master’s and PhD programs. However, the process of being accepted into universities abroad is difficult for these graduates. Explaining the situation of Bahais in Iran and the requirement to study at an unofficial university requires writing letters to universities abroad and extensive follow-up; however, there is no guarantee of success.

Exit the country

A large number of Baha’is in Iran left the country after the 1979 Revolution and mostly migrated to Western countries. However, migration is never easy. Currently, a significant number of Baha’is have spent consecutive years as refugees in Turkey and there is no clear prospect for their settlement in their final destination.

On the other hand, obtaining a student visa also requires introducing the Bahai University to the foreign university admissions committee. Even if a Bahai youth obtains a student visa, upon returning to Iran, they will face difficulties in entering the job market, which will be discussed further.

Job market for Bahai youth

Bahá’ís are generally deprived of employment in the government sector of Iran’s economy. The laws of the Islamic Republic prohibit the employment of members of the “misguided sect” (a reference to Bahá’ís) in government offices and organizations. As a large portion of Iran’s economy is government-run, this effectively deprives Bahá’ís of many job opportunities.

Employment in the private sector also has its own difficulties. Even if private company managers do not have a problem with hiring Bahá’ís, the fear of government intervention and creating problems for that company is a major factor in avoiding hiring Bahá’ís.

Even independent jobs are not safe for Bahá’ís. In recent years, the Islamic Republic has sealed a large number of trade units belonging to Bahá’ís due to their closure during Bahá’í religious holidays. Although according to Iranian trade laws, temporarily closing a trade unit is allowed, the Islamic Republic has used the excuse of trade violations to seal Bahá’í shops and workshops, preventing Bahá’ís from employment.

What was mentioned above only refers to a corner of the problems that Iranian Bahá’í youth are facing.

The danger of imprisonment for religious activities, inequality before the law, and even deprivation from social activities are among the other issues that Iranian Bahá’í youth face.