عربي English Türkçe اردو فارسى
Logo
Latest News
World

Assad Agrees to Open Branches for IAU in Syrian Cities

Iranian Top Foreign Policy Advisor to Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei Ali Akbar Velayati. Reuters
Iranian Top Foreign Policy Advisor to Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei Ali Akbar Velayati. Reuters
    Damascus, London - Asharq Al-Awsat
TT
20
TT

Assad Agrees to Open Branches for IAU in Syrian Cities

Iranian Top Foreign Policy Advisor to Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei Ali Akbar Velayati. Reuters
Iranian Top Foreign Policy Advisor to Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei Ali Akbar Velayati. Reuters

Head of Islamic Azad University board of founders Ali Akbar Velayati said that Head of Syrian regime Bashar al-Assad has issued a decree to open branches for Iran’s Islamic Azad University (IAU) in all Syrian cities.

Iranian Top Foreign Policy Advisor to Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei also announced the approval of Iraqi parties close to Tehran to establish branches of the university in Baghdad and several Iraqi cities.

“I wrote in a letter to Bashar al-Assad that the Azad University is ready to establish branches in Syria, and he issued an order for the establishment of the Islamic Azad University in all Syrian cities,” Velayati said.

He visited Damascus on November 7, heading a delegation, and discussed with Assad, Foreign Minister Walid al-Moualem and Prime Minister Emad Khamis the latest developments in the Syrian arena.

It was not clear if he had discussed the issue of Azad University on that visit, but he expressed an Iranian desire for Tehran to play a role in the reconstruction of Syria.

The announcement of Assad's approval to open branches for the university, which is headed by Velayati, comes shortly after the announcement of reaching an agreement with the Iraqi government to establish of branches of the University in Karbala, Najaf, Baghdad, Basra and Erbil.

In this regard, Velayati said that he had discussed during his meeting with Leader of the Islamic Supreme Council of Iraq Humam Hamoudi the establishment of branches for IAU in Iraq.

“According to an agreement that was signed before with Mr. Ammar Hakim, Hamoudi’s predecessor and prominent Iraqi politician and cleric, we will open the Islamic Azad University branches in Karbala, Najaf, Baghdad, Basra and Erbil.”

Velayati noted that the size and scope of the university in Lebanon will be expanded. He said he had discussed the issue with Lebanese Hezbollah Leader Hassan Nasrallah, who acquired the permit for the expansion plan from Lebanon’s Ministry of Education and Higher Education.

In reference to Iran’s regional role, Velayati said “Iran supports neighboring and Islamic countries in terms of security issues, and also contributes to the development of Islamic culture, science and technology and aids regional and local achievements.”

Most Viewed

 
World

Human Rights Watch Says Israeli Airstrike on Iranian Prison was an 'Apparent War Crime'

Evin Prison (File photo: Reuters)
Evin Prison (File photo: Reuters)
TT
20
TT

Human Rights Watch Says Israeli Airstrike on Iranian Prison was an 'Apparent War Crime'

Evin Prison (File photo: Reuters)
Evin Prison (File photo: Reuters)

Human Rights Watch alleged Thursday that an Israeli airstrike on a notorious Iranian prison was “an apparent war crime”, while also accusing Tehran of harming and disappearing prisoners after the attack.

Israel struck Evin Prison in Tehran, one of Iran's most notorious detention facilities for political activists and dissidents, on June 23, during its 12-day war with the Islamic Republic, Reuters reported.

The strikes during visiting hours hit Evin Prison’s main southern entrance, another northern entrance and other areas of the complex, destroying buildings that had medical facilities and prison wards.

The Iranian authorities initially said at least 71 people were killed during the airstrike, among them civilians including inmates, visiting relatives, and prison staff. Iranian media later raised that number to 80. It was unclear why Israel targeted the prison.

Human Rights Watch said the attack was “unlawfully indiscriminate” and that there was no evidence of an advance warning or a military target before striking the prison complex, which it estimates holds over 1,500 prisoners.

“To make matters worse, Israeli forces put at grave risk prisoners who were already victims of Iranian authorities’ brutal repression,” said Michael Page, the rights group’s deputy Middle East director.

Human Rights Watch says prisoners were subject to “ill-treatment and violence” both as they were being taken out of the prison following the attack and as they were returned.

Calls to Iranian authorities were not immediately returned on Thursday, a public holiday in the country. The Israeli military also did not respond to an immediate request for comment on the Human Rights Watch reports.

After the attack, Iranian authorities evacuated and transferred the prisoners to two other facilities in Tehran province and said on August 8 that they were gradually returned. Iranian state media said the prisoners were transferred peacefully and without any conflict.

But relatives and Human Rights Watch said some political prisoners were beaten with batons and “electric shock weapons” for resisting wearing handcuffs and protesting prison guards separating death-row inmates.

The group said some of the prisoners have disappeared, including Swedish-Iranian doctor, Ahmadreza Djalali, who is at risk of execution. The rights group says Iran had refused to give them any information about his whereabouts.

“Iranian authorities should not use Israel’s strikes on Evin prison as another opportunity to subject prisoners, including those who should never have been in prison in the first place, to ill-treatment,” said Page.

The war in June, which killed about 1,100 people in Iran and 28 in Israel, started after Israeli jets struck key nuclear and military facilities. Iran then launched a barrage of missiles over Israel.