An Iranian university has is offering scholarships to American students expelled for participating in pro-Palestinian demonstrations on campuses across the United States.
In a statement reported by Iranian state-owned media outlet Press TV, Mohammad Moazzeni, head of Shiraz University in Iran’s southern Fars province, extended his invitation to “students and even professors who have been expelled or threatened with expulsion” following clashes between demonstrators and law enforcement nationwide in the United States.
Moazzeni accused Western law enforcement of employing “autocratic methods” and “a lot of violence to contain this raging movement,” while threatening to expel students and hinder their future employment prospects, Press TV reported.
“Students and even professors who have been expelled or threatened with expulsion can continue their studies at Shiraz University, and I think that other universities in Shiraz and Fars province are also prepared [for this],” he stated.
According to CNN, since April 18, over 1,000 individuals have been arrested across more than 25 campuses in at least 21 states in connection with pro-Palestinian demonstrations.
At the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), police were called after a violent clash erupted between protesters and Israel supporters, involving makeshift weapons like pipes, tasers and pepper spray.
Over 200 arrests were made at Columbia University and City College of New York (CUNY), where protesters have established encampments and occupied buildings. Tulane University in Louisiana reported at least 14 arrests, with seven students suspended.
As universities grapple with the challenge of maintaining order while respecting freedom of expression, Iran’s controversial scholarship offer has raised concerns about the potential for further radicalization and the geopolitical implications of campus unrest.
Originally published by Israel Hayom.
