TEHRAN // Growing up in the city of Hamadan, in western Iran, Mehran dreamed of becoming a university professor.
For years, he studied hard and in May 2009 he was accepted into a master’s degree programme at Tehran’s prestigious Sharif University of Technology.
But only four months later the government suspended him from university for alleged political activities and he was detained for questioning.
Mehran is one of Iran’s so-called starred students, pupils who arrived at university to find a star on their academic transcripts.
The star was a sign that the intelligence ministry deemed the student a threat. Their university IDs were revoked and they were banned from campuses in an attempt to keep them from influencing other students and also as a warning to others wanting to express dissent.
Mehran recalls the outrage he felt when he saw a star next to his name.
“We were a group of more than 1,500 students in master’s programme that were denied access to enrol and attend our classes in 2009,” said Mehran, who, like others interviewed for this article, did not give his full name.
The second half of 2009 was a tumultuous time for Iran as then president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad clung to power amid mass protests and allegations that results of a June presidential election were fraudulent. His successor, the relatively moderate Hassan Rouhani, has made headlines for a deal with world powers to curb Iran’s uranium enrichment in return for limited sanctions relief.
He has also instituted domestic reform by expanding the country's food handout programme and promising fundamental changes to the university system, including allowing starred students to resume classes.
Last week, in his sixth appearance among academics in his first seven months as president, Mr Rouhani asked students and professors to play a more active role in the political life of the country.
“Some groups threaten students and professors but this government considers them a national asset and they must be allowed to be critical,” Mr Rouhani said.
While the election of Mr Rouhani as president has offered thousands of so-called starred students a glimmer of hope there has been little action besides promises.
And even the limited actions are criticised by conservatives.
In September, Mr Rouhani ordered that students who were starred between 2011 and 2013 be permitted to resume their studies but the decision was opposed by conservatives in Iran’s parliament.
“Those hardliners who were in charge four years ago are still in the parliament and rejected changes in the ministry,” said Mehdi, 28, from Tehran, another starred student.
Mehdi thinks the reason he was marked as a starred student is linked to articles critical of Mr Ahamadinejad’s policies published in his university newspaper during his undergraduate studies.
Students generally discover stars on their transcripts when they are attending graduate courses, although undergraduates may also face suspension for political activity.
University officials never warned him about his articles at the time, Mehdi said.
In Mehran’s case the alleged offence was more clear.
“I was named a starred student and banned from continuing my education for running one of the campaign headquarters of Mehdi Karroubi in Iran’s 2009 presidential election.”
Mr Karroubi, along with Mir Hossein Mousavi, were presidential candidates in that election. Both men have been under house arrest since 2011.
While Mehran believes his political activities did not break any laws, he has given up on his studies and now works in a low-level position for an engineering company owned by a relative.
He still has not told his father, a day labourer who worked seven days a week so Mehran could afford to study, that he was barred from university.
In an attempt last month to block the government’s promised changes, three legislators filed a complaint against the minister of sciences, research and technology, Reza Faraji-Dana, for the ministry’s decision to permit about 400 starred students to continue their education.
“Mr Faraji-Dana must provide lawmakers with lists and political backgrounds of the students for further review,” Mohammed Ali Pour-Mokhtar, a conservative legislator, said last week.
Legislators also threatened to impeach Mr Faraji-Dana last week for replacing the most conservative heads of several leading Iranian universities.
“There is so much pressure on Rouhani that prevents him from making active political decisions. He speaks about changes but his hands are tied,” said Mehdi, who delivered a letter, signed by a group of fellow students, to Mr Faraji-Dana two months ago requesting that they be allowed to return to university.
Another important factor in the debate over Iran’s starred students is the 2016 parliamentary elections.
Students said conservatives are preventing reforms at universities as part of a larger effort to maintain their positions in parliament.
“Universities are their front line in their battle against reform, especially with the upcoming parliamentary elections,” Mehran said.
foreign.desk@thenational.ae
In numbers: PKK’s money network in Europe
Germany: PKK collectors typically bring in $18 million in cash a year – amount has trebled since 2010
Revolutionary tax: Investigators say about $2 million a year raised from ‘tax collection’ around Marseille
Extortion: Gunman convicted in 2023 of demanding $10,000 from Kurdish businessman in Stockholm
Drug trade: PKK income claimed by Turkish anti-drugs force in 2024 to be as high as $500 million a year
Denmark: PKK one of two terrorist groups along with Iranian separatists ASMLA to raise “two-digit million amounts”
Contributions: Hundreds of euros expected from typical Kurdish families and thousands from business owners
TV channel: Kurdish Roj TV accounts frozen and went bankrupt after Denmark fined it more than $1 million over PKK links in 2013
Election pledges on migration
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SPD: "Border closures and blanket rejections at internal borders contradict the spirit of a common area of freedom"
The bio
Favourite food: Japanese
Favourite car: Lamborghini
Favourite hobby: Football
Favourite quote: If your dreams don’t scare you, they are not big enough
Favourite country: UAE
Specs
Engine: Duel electric motors
Power: 659hp
Torque: 1075Nm
On sale: Available for pre-order now
Price: On request
SHAITTAN
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Where to buy art books in the UAE
There are a number of speciality art bookshops in the UAE.
In Dubai, The Lighthouse at Dubai Design District has a wonderfully curated selection of art and design books. Alserkal Avenue runs a pop-up shop at their A4 space, and host the art-book fair Fully Booked during Art Week in March. The Third Line, also in Alserkal Avenue, has a strong book-publishing arm and sells copies at its gallery. Kinokuniya, at Dubai Mall, has some good offerings within its broad selection, and you never know what you will find at the House of Prose in Jumeirah. Finally, all of Gulf Photo Plus’s photo books are available for sale at their show.
In Abu Dhabi, Louvre Abu Dhabi has a beautiful selection of catalogues and art books, and Magrudy’s – across the Emirates, but particularly at their NYU Abu Dhabi site – has a great selection in art, fiction and cultural theory.
In Sharjah, the Sharjah Art Museum sells catalogues and art books at its museum shop, and the Sharjah Art Foundation has a bookshop that offers reads on art, theory and cultural history.
The specs: 2017 Lotus Evora Sport 410
Price, base / as tested Dh395,000 / Dh420,000
Engine 3.5L V6
Transmission Six-speed manual
Power 410hp @ 7,000rpm
Torque 420Nm @ 3,500rpm
Fuel economy, combined 9.7L / 100km
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64 - Gavin Green (MAL), Graeme McDowell (NIR)
65 - Henrik Stenson (SWE), Sebastian Soderberg (SWE), Adri Arnaus (ESP), Victor Perez (FRA), Jhonattan Vegas (VEN)
66 - Phil Mickelson (USA), Tom Lewis (ENG), Andy Sullivan (ENG), Ross Fisher (ENG), Aaron Rai (ENG), Ryan Fox (NZL)
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COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
Started: 2021
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
Number of staff: 22
Investment raised: $4 million
FFP EXPLAINED
What is Financial Fair Play?
Introduced in 2011 by Uefa, European football’s governing body, it demands that clubs live within their means. Chiefly, spend within their income and not make substantial losses.
What the rules dictate?
The second phase of its implementation limits losses to €30 million (Dh136m) over three seasons. Extra expenditure is permitted for investment in sustainable areas (youth academies, stadium development, etc). Money provided by owners is not viewed as income. Revenue from “related parties” to those owners is assessed by Uefa's “financial control body” to be sure it is a fair value, or in line with market prices.
What are the penalties?
There are a number of punishments, including fines, a loss of prize money or having to reduce squad size for European competition – as happened to PSG in 2014. There is even the threat of a competition ban, which could in theory lead to PSG’s suspension from the Uefa Champions League.
2025 Fifa Club World Cup groups
Group A: Palmeiras, Porto, Al Ahly, Inter Miami.
Group B: Paris Saint-Germain, Atletico Madrid, Botafogo, Seattle.
Group C: Bayern Munich, Auckland City, Boca Juniors, Benfica.
Group D: Flamengo, ES Tunis, Chelsea, (Leon banned).
Group E: River Plate, Urawa, Monterrey, Inter Milan.
Group F: Fluminense, Borussia Dortmund, Ulsan, Mamelodi Sundowns.
Group G: Manchester City, Wydad, Al Ain, Juventus.
Group H: Real Madrid, Al Hilal, Pachuca, Salzburg.
Formula Middle East Calendar (Formula Regional and Formula 4)
Round 1: January 17-19, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 2: January 22-23, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 3: February 7-9, Dubai Autodrome – Dubai
Round 4: February 14-16, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 5: February 25-27, Jeddah Corniche Circuit – Saudi Arabia
The White Lotus: Season three
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Starring: Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, Natasha Rothwell
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Meydan race card
6.30pm: Baniyas (PA) Group 2 Dh125,000 (Dirt) 1,400m
7.05pm: Maiden (TB) Dh165,000 (D) 1,200m
7.40pm: Maiden (TB) Dh165,000 (D) 1,400m
8.15pm: Handicap (TB) Dh170,000 (D) 1,900m
8.50pm: Rated Conditions (TB) Dh240,000 (D) 1,600m
9.25pm: Handicap (TB) Dh175,000 (D)1,200m
10pm: Handicap (TB) Dh165,000 (D) 1,400m
