Iranian MP denounces nepotism in wake of student's self-immolation

"Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) intelligence identified 400 members inside and outside Iran," state broadcaster IRIB reported. "Some have been summoned, detained, or warned to cease collaboration with this academic circle."

It described the operation as a move to counter "soft overthrow (efforts) ... via cultural and educational infiltration."

The broadcast featured blurred photos of alleged detainees, organizational charts mapping the network and commentary from experts justifying the actions as defense against foreign-funded subversion.

No names or exact arrest numbers were disclosed.

Iran Academia, registered in the Netherlands and founded in 2012 amid Iran's restrictions on higher education in social sciences, says it aims to served "the general public, civil society, and disadvantaged groups" according to its official website.

"70% are from Iran—spanning 21 of 31 provinces—with 40% female, 30% ethnic minorities, and 15% religious minorities," the site said.

The platform offers Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) on topics like gender and budgeting, transitional justice, social advocacy and forced migration rights.

State media accused its board members of promoting "hot-button" issues—gender equality, ethnic rights and implicit regime critique via media appearances, labeling it a tool for "soft regime change" backed by Dutch, EU and United States Agency for International Development (USAID) funding.

Revolutionary Guards personnel last week arrested several sociologists and economists.

The move prompted nearly 900 Iranian activists and intellectuals to issue a statement calling for unity against what they called "the suppression of thought and expression,” describing the crackdown as “a desperate attempt by a failing regime to stifle intellectual vitality.”

The controversy began when a short video produced to mark the wedding of Malavan football club captain Saeed Karimi — showing the couple in his club’s uniform in romantic football-themed scenes at an empty stadium — was leaked on social media.

The case again thrusts women and public morality into the public discourse of the nearly fifty-year-old Islamic theocracy even after authorities this year backed off enforcing strict veiling laws in a likely bid to avoid protests.

Karimi's wife Zahra appeared variously in a the shorts and t-shirt of a football uniform and briefly wearing a baseball cap but at other times without the theocracy's mandatory Islamic head covering. In one brief scene the pair tumble into bed laughing.

The footballer said the video had been shared without his and his wife’s consent and asked users to delete it.

'What next?'

However, state TV presenter Rasoul Mehrabani devoted several minutes of live airtime to accusing the couple's video, calling it shameful, indecent disgraceful.

"If we do not stop this, if we do not stop these indecencies, what will happen tomorrow?" he said, inviting authorities to intervene.

Shortly after, judiciary-affiliated outlet Mizan, quoted provincial prosecutor Seyed Kamaleddin Mousavi as saying they had opened a case in connection with the circulation of a “video contrary to public decency” attributed to a Malavan player.

He said initial investigations showed the clip had been filmed in the northern city of Sari and released by one of the individuals involved in filming it.

Mousavi added that the player appeared before judicial authorities to file a complaint over the unauthorized publication, and that the case has since been transferred to the another prosecutor’s office for further review.

Federation reaction

Amid the controversy, the Ethics Committee of the Football Federation of the Islamic Republic of Iran announced on Tuesday that Karimi had been summoned for questioning.

The committee, a judicial body within the federation labelled by critics the “morality police of football,” has previously taken action against players who made critical comments about political or social issues.

This included those who expressed solidarity with protesters during the nationwide protests sparked by the death in morality police custody of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini in September 2022. Authorities quashed the demonstrations with deadly force.

Support for Karimi

Iranian social media users largely defended Karimi, calling the clip harmless and saying the outrage from state TV and hardline media was misplaced.

The controversy also sparked accusations of double standards, as users compared the reaction to Karimi’s video with the official silence when a video of the wedding of a top security official's daughter leaked last month.

Ali Shamkhani is a senior advisor to Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and the footage showed his daughter without a hijab and in a Western-style white wedding dress with a plunging neckline.

“Why is Saeed Karimi’s video criminal, but not Shamkhani’s daughter’s?” one user wrote — a question that quickly spread across social media. Another highlighted that Karimi’s wife’s outfit was “far more modest,” while one joked, “If she had worn longer socks or a hat, even the most zealous critics would have stayed quiet.”

'People vs. state'

Fellow footballers also showed support for Karimi and his wife in posts on Instagram.

According to Tehran-based Etemad daily, Mehrabani’s six-minute tirade was filled with vulgar language that many described as “offensive and disgusting.” The paper said his comments drew far more attention to the clip, which had initially gone largely unnoticed.

Etemad said that the video was no different from countless romantic couple shoots posted on Instagram, questioning the mindset behind the presenter’s reaction.

Ehsan Akbari, sports editor at Iran International said the episode revealed a divide between the public and the Islamic Republic’s mindset.

“This (public support for Karimi) shows how much society is standing against the mindset of the Islamic Republic,” he said. “The government have one opinion, but society has another.”

Akbari added that the contrast in public reactions to the two videos reflected both trust and authenticity.

“People criticized Shamkhani but support Saeed Karimi because Shamkhani has always presented himself as an Islamic figure and tried to impose his ideas on others, while behind the scenes behaving differently,” he said. “But Saeed Karimi reflects the reality of society — he’s just like ordinary people. Shamkhani on the other hand represents the hypocrisy of the Islamic Republic.”

'Double standard'

Sports journalist Raha Poubakhsh says the difference in how state media handled the two cases revealed a broader political motive.

“State media defended Shamkhani by portraying him as a victim, saying the video had been published without permission and that people’s privacy should be respected,” she said. “But when a private video of a football player was leaked, the situation was entirely different."

"This difference in approach shows that the issue is not about morality or justice, but about control and the exercise of power,” she added.

“In the Islamic Republic, the state itself decides what is considered ‘immoral’ — a label it only applies when the person in question is not in a position of power or part of the establishment.”

Malavan Football club files complaint

Malavan Football Club issued a statement condemning Mehrabani’s remarks as “disgusting and insulting,” accusing the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB) of “spreading hatred” to attract attention. The club demanded an official apology from state TV and said it had filed a formal complaint against the presenter.

“The dignity and reputation of our members are red lines,” the statement said. “Malavan expects the IRIB to clearly and publicly apologize to the player, the club, and the people of Bandar Anzali and Gilan province.”

The club added that it would not remain silent “when the name of Malavan or human dignity is disrespected,” reaffirming what it described as its half-century tradition of respect, passion and community spirit.

Progressive legacy

Malavan has a reputation as one of Iran’s most socially progressive football clubs.

In another example, the club shared a photo on its official Instagram page in October showing player Abouzar Safarzadeh’s wife kissing him on the forehead after he scored in a Persian Gulf League match — a move seen as breaking the clerical establishment’s social taboos on public displays of affection.

“Malavan was among the first Iranian teams after the (1979 Islamic) revolution to feature women in the unveiling of its official kits,” Akbari, the sports editor, said.

“Women have long had a presence in its matches and media, and it has one of the oldest women’s football teams in the country," he said. "The fact that Karimi’s wife appeared on the pitch in the club’s kit resonated because it felt real and authentic."

“What is clear is that total public satisfaction with all governments since the revolution is now overshadowed by a 92 percent dissatisfaction with the country’s current situation,” Rouydad24 wrote.

The report said the study was conducted by a recognized polling center that often carries out research for state institutions.

It assessed public views of Iran’s governments from the early years of the Islamic Republic to the present, ranking administrations by their perceived performance.

The data have not been released publicly, but Rouydad24 said “the most striking outcome was widespread discontent among respondents across the country.”

According to the outlet, “the level of satisfaction with Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s administration was highest overall,” while those of “Hassan Rouhani and Masoud Pezeshkian ranked lowest.” The report said opinions in Tehran differed from other regions, with “lower popularity levels recorded in the capital.”

Poll prepared for internal use

The poll was prepared for internal use by decision-makers and was not intended for public release. Rouydad24 said “similar internal studies have long been carried out by various institutions to measure public sentiment and help guide policymaking.”

The publication noted that the results align with other recent research showing growing mistrust of political institutions and frustration over economic hardship. It said that although the time and context of each government shaped public expectations, “overall dissatisfaction across all administrations is now unprecedented.”

The findings echo a separate survey released earlier this month by the Netherlands-based GAMAAN institute, which found that most Iranians believed Israel prevailed in the June war and favored direct negotiations between Tehran and Washington. That survey also showed rising demand for change in Iran’s political system and declining confidence in its leadership.

Joe Bennett said his mother, Lindsay Foreman, and her husband, Craig, were arrested in January while traveling through Iran on a world tour. Both are being held in Tehran’s Evin prison and deny the charges.

“My family can’t carry on like this,” Bennett said. “This can’t be normalised. Silence is complicity.”

He said Mrs. Foreman is isolated and surrounded by people who do not speak English, while her husband is suffering from an untreated tooth abscess. “Every day is a waiting game, not knowing if she’s okay,” he said. “It’s a nightmare that never ends.”

The UK Foreign Office said it is providing consular support and continues to raise the case with Iranian officials.

The Foremans were tried in October, when relations between London and Tehran hit new lows after Britain and its European partners reimposed sanctions on Iran over nuclear concerns. Family members told the BBC they were not allowed to attend the hearing.

France reports release of detained nationals

In recent weeks, Bennett said he has watched France secure the release of its detained nationals and urged British leaders to act. “The French didn’t wait,” he said. “Their president spoke up and their citizens came home. Why hasn’t Britain done the same?”

Iran freed two French citizens, Cécile Kohler and Jacques Paris, earlier this month after more than three years in custody. President Emmanuel Macron said the pair had left Tehran’s Evin prison and were en route to the French Embassy, calling it “a first step” in ongoing dialogue between Paris and Tehran.

Earlier, Bennett told the Daily Telegraph the family was open to appealing for help from US President Donald Trump, who has recently signaled a willingness to re-engage diplomatically with Tehran. The family met Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper last month to press for progress.

Rights groups have described the case as part of a wider pattern of “hostage diplomacy” by Tehran, which denies detaining foreigners for political leverage.

The signatories expressed deep concern and outrage over the arrests of economist Parviz Sedaghat, sociologist Mahsa Asadollahnejad, writer and translator Shirin Karimi, and the summons of Mohammad Maljoo, an economist long known for his independent analysis of Iran’s political economy.

They described the detained scholars as “leftist thinkers concerned with social justice and opposed to war and foreign domination.”

According to the statement, the academics were arrested on charges of acting against national security, a catch-all accusation often used against dissidents.

The signatories warned that the detentions mark “a new campaign to silence independent voices and reinforce an atmosphere of repression in Iran.”

They drew parallels with past crackdowns on academic freedom — from the 1980 Cultural Revolution, which purged thousands of professors and students, to the suppression of the 1999 student protests, the post-election unrest of 2009, and the mass expulsions of academics following the 2022 Woman, Life, Freedom uprising.

Notable figures among the signatories include Judith Butler, distinguished professor at the University of California, Berkeley; Ervand Abrahamian, historian and professor emeritus at the City University of New York; Ziba Mir-Hosseini, research associate at SOAS, University of London; Ali Mirsepassi and Arang Keshavarzian of New York University; Fatemeh Shams of the University of Pennsylvania; Nayereh Tohidi and Kazem Alamdari of California State University; Kamran Matin of the University of Sussex; Rasmus Elling of the University of Copenhagen; Haideh Moghissi and Jim Vernon of York University; Azadeh Kian of Université Paris Cité; and PEN America’s Writers at Risk director Karin Deutsch Karlekar.

Among the Iranian signatories inside the country are theologian Sedigheh Vasmaghi, political scientist Hatam Ghaderi, sociologist Kazem Kardavani, and filmmaker Reza Haeri.

The arrests have drawn wider condemnation. The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) called for the immediate release of Sedaghat and other detained scholars, while PEN America denounced Iran’s “escalating campaign against freedom of expression.”

Earlier this month, nearly 900 Iranian activists and intellectuals issued a separate statement calling for unity against what they called "the suppression of thought and expression,” describing the crackdown as “a desperate attempt by a failing regime to stifle intellectual vitality.”