Title: Suspicions of Ties Between German Universities and Iranian Terror Supporters Raise Concerns
Question: Are German universities associating with terror supporters in Iran?
Engage with five prominent German universities: Potsdam, Frankfurt/Main, Paderborn, Münster, and FU Berlin. Recent allegations claim these institutions have built relationships with the Iranian University of Religions and Denominations (URD) in Ghom since 2010.
The upside: knowledge exchange and cooperation
Collaborations between the universities and URD have taken place through student exchanges, joint research groups, and workshops. One example comes from FU Berlin, where Professor Johannes Niehoff-Panagiotidis gave a lecture at the URD as recently as July. This cooperation is, in part, funded by the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) – hence, German taxpayers' money.
But wait, there's a catch
The issue here lies in the nature of URD's connections. In December 2018, the URD welcomed Sheikh Naim Kassem, the Secretary General of the Hezbollah militia. Kassem openly advocates for the destruction of Israel. Additionally, the URD maintains its support for terrorism against Israel, citing, "There is no other option than armed resistance," on its website as of May 23, 2021.
Dr. Seyed Abdolhassan Navab, the President of the URD, presents another concern. Previously holding key positions in the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), a group infamous for its torture, oppression, and persecution of civilians, the organization is classified as a terrorist organization by the United States. His role in the IRGC's Ideology and Politics Department entailed suppressing dissent, including openly advocating for the murder of Jews and Christians.
Moreover, Navab's ties to the Quds Brigade – a terror network associated with Hamas and Hezbollah – have also surfaced.
Surprised reactions from German universities
Unsurprisingly, the German universities involved have their stance on these claims. Goethe University Frankfurt admits to temporarily collaborating with URD since 2012, albeit concerned only with the Institute for Protestant Theology. The university further clarifies that it did not fully comprehend URD's deep involvement in the Iranian Revolutionary Guard.
University of Münster, on the other hand, maintains that it had no direct cooperation with the URD. However, a project involving Professor Mouhanad Khorchide from Münster and a URD-affiliated scientist took place.
Enrichment Insights
According to investigations, no current reports or statements from German universities or relevant authorities addressing their connections with URD have been unearthed. Domestic German issues, such as religious freedom, antisemitism, and monitoring of certain Muslim groups, have been the primary focus over the years. Additional research would be required to fully address the allegations of ties between German universities and URD.
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