“In the name of God”

You know that the University of Tehran was established in 1313 (during the time of Reza Shah) and immediately after students and professors entered through one door, politics also came to the university through another door. Some professors and students raised political issues such as freedom and tyranny in universities. It was during this time that Dr. “Taghi Arani”, one of the professors at the University of Tehran, along with 53 other professors and students, were arrested and sentenced to death by order of Reza Khan.

After the escape of Reza Shah and the September 1320 incident, the political atmosphere that had found its way to the university became more open and as a result, activities became more intense. At that time, most of the student activists were affiliated with the Tudeh Party. But after a few years, religious and nationalist groups also joined the movement and with the emergence of God-fearing socialists led by Mr. “Nakhshab”, Islamic associations gradually formed in universities and they also worked alongside the Tudeh Party.

This process continued for several years, but in 1327 with the “Shah’s assassination” at the University of Tehran and the illegalization of the Tudeh Party, their activities were significantly reduced. They became more active against nationalist and religious students and played a crucial role in the events that took place during Mossadegh’s time, such as the nationalization of the oil industry with the slogan “Oil must be nationalized throughout the country”. This spectrum of students played a very fundamental role.

At that time, I was studying in high school and had not yet become a university student. However, because I had a great interest in university and its issues, I heard that the students of Tehran University were planning to go to the National Bank to buy “national bonds”. National bonds were actually securities that Dr. Mosaddegh had issued to compensate for the economic blockade and were well received by various segments of the population, including students. On that day, the students marched from the university towards the National Bank, which was located on Ferdowsi Street. I was present there and saw a large number of students who had come that day to buy bonds and declared their cooperation and collaboration with Dr. Mosaddegh.

From then on, students were active in all the events that took place during the time of Mosaddegh – from the July 30th movement to the August 28th coup – and as you know, only 100 days after the coup, the December 16th incident occurred at the University of Tehran, where 103 students from the Technical University were martyred. From then on, activities against tyranny, dictatorship, and the monarchy became more serious, and especially on December 16th of each year, detailed demonstrations were held at the university; to the point that towards the end of Mohammad Reza Shah’s reign, the system tried to close down universities on this date; but nevertheless, student protests continued, both on campus and in the streets.

Don’t forget the story of the siege of four thousand students of Tehran University in Ferdowsi Hall of the Faculty of Literature in 1339. The students were besieged due to the arrest of several hundred students, including myself. These student demonstrations and public pressure led to the government eventually releasing all the students after a short period of time. Dr. Farhad, who was the president of Tehran University at the time, strongly opposed these arrests and emphasized that university classes would not be held until the last student was released.

Even as we approached the revolution, we witnessed the first anti-monarchy protests carried out by students; during the Eid al-Fitr protests, after the Eid prayer led by Dr. “Moftah” and the sermon by Mr. “Bahonar”, while the clergy who were prepared from various mosques were announcing that the work was done and they were returning to the mosques, the organizers had no specific plan; some students stood alongside Shariati Street and invited people to move towards the Eshraghieh Husseiniyeh (which was closed at the time). Gradually, the crowd grew and the famous Eid al-Fitr protests took shape, which were the first protests and marches before the revolution carried out by students, and the clergy had no role in them. The next protests were related to Jaleh Square or the current martyrs, in which again students played a fundamental role. In fact, the universities, especially the University of Tehran, were so effective in

It was precisely because of this influence that after the establishment of the Islamic Republic system, officials tried to bring the university under their control, which led to the issues that occurred in Tehran University after the revolution. Then, under the pretext of cultural or Islamic revolutionizing of universities, Tehran University and other universities in Iran were closed for several years. After that, numerous purges were carried out, resulting in the expulsion of almost two-thirds of the professors and one-third of the students from the university. Many were also sent to prison and the pressure on universities became even more severe.

These pressures continued until 1991 and gradually, the students resumed their activities. After Mr. “Khatami” came to power and the so-called “reforms” began, the university became active again. Unfortunately, it was during this time that the July 9th incident occurred, resulting in widespread arrests and an unknown number of students being killed or missing.

Among the individuals who were arrested and disappeared during the events of July 18th, Mr. “Saeed Zinali” is one, whose family claims that despite their efforts to seek help from both domestic and international legal authorities, they have no information about his fate. Of course, there are others with similar fates. Currently, “Arash Sadeghi”, another imprisoned student, is on a hunger strike and his condition is unknown. …In any case, the fate of the missing students and their families must be determined.

In any case, after that incident which was a great transformation and excitement in the country, even Mr. “Khamenei” cried and said it doesn’t matter if someone tears my picture; the university lost its intimate relationship with Mr. Khatami’s government. As we witnessed, the last time they went to Tehran University, they faced severe protests from the students and of course he also had a harsh and rough confrontation with the students to the point where he said I will kick you out of the hall.

With the end of the Khatami era and the rise of Mr. Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, strict measures were taken against universities and all kinds of activities were prohibited. All existing associations, both Islamic and non-Islamic, were dissolved. Students were expelled, deprived, and marked with stars. In fact, it can be said that Mr. Ahmadinejad destroyed everything. In the incident of 88, a large number of students and professors, including myself, were arrested and I witnessed in Evin prison that thousands of students were imprisoned and subjected to harassment and abuse.

The purpose of discussing these issues briefly was to say that when we study history, we find that in all social developments in Iran, universities and students played a fundamental role. Every government must value universities and strive for their independence in order to be successful.

At the end, while remembering the incident of July 9th, 1999, I ask the rulers to leave the university alone. Let the university fulfill its duty of criticism, construction, cultural activities, and especially scientific work. The university in Iran should be independent like other countries, because an independent university is not effective. As we see the current situation of universities, neither the professor is a real professor nor the student is a real student! I hope that with the changes and transformations that have been created or need to be created in the country, universities will find their true place.

I also address current and younger students, reminding them to keep the memory of July 9th alive and to try not to forget that before the revolution, students and your fathers never forgot December 7th and kept its memory burning in their hearts.