Iran’s top university expels seven students amid dissent crackdown

Sharif University’s disciplinary action against students over protests and social media activity has intensified concerns about growing restrictions on dissent in postwar Iran.

WEBDESK – TII

Sharif University of Technology, widely regarded as Iran’s leading technical university, has issued preliminary expulsion orders for seven students in a move that rights advocates say reflects a broader crackdown on dissent across the country.

According to the student group United Students, the university’s disciplinary committee ordered the expulsions and, in several cases, imposed multi-year bans from higher education.

The students identified in the report include Reza Dalman, a master’s student in computer engineering; Fatemeh Khakpour, an undergraduate chemistry student; Hossein Shadman, a master’s student in industrial engineering; Sepanta Saeedi and Masiha Bagheri, both undergraduate computer engineering students; Fariborz Kohanzad, an electrical engineering student; and Parnian Khodabakhshi, an undergraduate materials science and engineering student.

Rights groups say the expulsions are part of a wider tightening of political and social controls following months of unrest and the recent conflict involving the United States.

United Students alleged that disciplinary cases against Saeedi, Shadman, and Bagheri were linked to social media activity, while the remaining students faced action over protests held in March. The group also claimed that the detained student, Ariana Koochak, had been expelled.

Earlier this week, the Islamic Association of Sharif University students said families of several students received calls from unidentified numbers, while some students were reportedly barred from entering the campus.

Often described as “Iran’s MIT,” Sharif University has long occupied a central place in the country’s academic and political landscape. Many of its graduates pursue careers and higher education opportunities at top international universities and technology firms.

The institution has also become a focal point for student activism in recent years, particularly during periods of political unrest.

The latest disciplinary actions come amid growing concerns among rights organizations over arrests, executions and restrictions on civil liberties in Iran. Advocacy groups say authorities have increasingly used the security situation to suppress dissent at home.

During the recent war, the Sharif University campus was reportedly struck in attacks targeting research centers alleged to have dual-use applications. Iranian officials and international rights groups condemned the strikes, warning against attacks on civilian educational institutions.

Analysts say the expulsions signal that despite ongoing diplomatic engagement between Tehran and Washington, pressure on students, universities and activists inside Iran continues to intensify.