Apologists for Iran in American universities constitute a powerful fifth column. They are ever ready to deny that the Islamic Republic has any nuclear ambition, insist that Iran wants only peace, and America is being goaded into a disastrous war with Iran by the Zionists. While a few of these unregistered agents of Iran have lost their jobs, many others continue, from their tenured posts in universities, to write articles, appear as “experts on Iran” on radio and television where they treat the Islamic Republic with respect, and promote a dreamy view of a peaceful Iran that the ghosts of Scheherazade could not have bettered.
More on Iran’s network of academic supporters can be found here: “Academia’s Iran Lobby,” by A.J. Caschetta, IPT News, May 28, 2026:
In 2021, after the Biden Department of Justice indicted Boston University professor Kaveh Afrasiabi for acting as an unregistered agent of the Iranian government, alleging that he was paid hundreds of thousands of dollars “to create and disseminate information favorable to the Iranian government,” I wrote that it was wasted money since so many academics in the U.S. are willing to promote the Islamic Republic for free.
In the years since, and in spite of Afrasiabi’s suspicious (autopen?) pardon, more pro-Islamic Republic academics have emerged, so many in fact that calling them “Academia’s Iran’s Lobby” is not even slightly hyperbolic….
What drives the members of Academia’s Iran lobby is equal parts hatred of Israel and U.S. foreign policy. Throw in a measure of Netanyahu and Trump Derangement Syndrome, and the combination becomes an academic Iran lobby that the regime couldn’t purchase even if it was selling millions of barrels of oil every day.
Most members of academia’s Iran lobby don’t really care about Iran or the Iranian people. Their main concern is the Islamic Republic’s status as the leading state sponsor of terrorism, especially terrorism targeting Israel. If the Islamic Republic falls, Hamas, Hezbollah and the Houthis will likely follow.
The Islamic Republic provides ideological sustenance to its academic lobby. Without its actual “resistance,” the academic pretend “resistance” would have no role models.
These agents of Iran need to be constantly exposed, their astounding records of anti-American and anti-Israel activity exposed, whether it is to be found in the classroom, in their pseudo-scholarly publications, in their appearances as “Iran experts” who are interviewed on both radio and television, and in their copious postings on social media. They are not just brainwashing their students with the idea that Iran is not the problem, for the Islamic Republic only wants peace. It is the Jewish state, they are told, that has managed to manipulate the American government into making an unnecessary and costly war against the Islamic Republic.
Some of these academics have been temporarily disciplined, such as Jonathan Brown at Georgetown, while others have been successfully dismissed from their jobs altogether, like Shirin Saedi, who first lost her job as the director of the King Fahd Center for Middle East Studies at the University of Arkansas in December 2025, having praised Ayatollah Khamenei and calling for the Jewish state to be “dismantled.” She was then dismissed altogether, for writing a letter in support of a convicted Iranian war criminal and for contributing to an atmosphere of antisemitism with her post that included the phrase “thrust the dagger from Doha into the throats of the Zionists, so that all of them howl.”
Let her example be a warning to those who think that tenure will protect them no matter what. University administrators should take a close look at their Middle Eastern faculty members’ activities, to make sure that none of them are praising the criminal regime in Tehran or its terrorist proxies or spreading antisemitism. If they are, they should be treated just like Shirin Saedi, who despite having tenure, was fired.
Wellington says
Demonstrating again that Persians have been a drag on mankind, and especially the West.
OK, I’ll give the Achaemenid Dynasty founded by Cyrus c. 550 BC some credit but if the Persians had died out as a people after Alexander the Great conquered this empire in the late fourth century B.C. what would have been the great loss to humanity by this? I say none. Meanwhile, the Persians, who have done almost diddly squat for mankind over the past two thousand years, have been the greatest asshole nation on Earth over the past half century. So tired hearing about their greatness as a people. What effing greatness I would ask, yes I do ask?
࿗Infidel࿘ says
Again, I wouldn’t conflate pre-islamic Persians w/ today’s Iranians, even if I grant that the Greeks were superior. islam has so contaminated them that it will take generations before they can be completely rid of it
Particularly since most diaspora Iranians are not just anti-regime, but ex-muslims to boot! Some Christian, some Zoroastrian, some Deist/Agnostic/Atheist to boot
jimjames says
Its not Persians pal, it’s Islam and especially Shia Islam!
OLD GUY says
Absolutely!
Rick Gordon says
I’ll believe US university administrators have the spine to do something about those on their faculty and students who hate us and seek to destroy our culture, values, and government.
So far, little words and no action.
ploome says
and
Harvard University President Claudine Gay who resigned amid plagiarism accusations
and criticism over testimony at a congressional hearing
where she was unable to say unequivocally that calls on campus for the genocide of Jews would violate the school’s conduct policy,
Harvard has become a fetid corrupt institution to keep an individual like that teaching anyone anything.
And that she is still tenured professor at Harvard, earning close to one million dollars a year salary, is more than disgusting.
She was forced to resign because she was exposed as plagiarizing in some of her publications, NOT because of her disgusting, banality and ignorance and total absence of any moral compass.
I wonder who takes any of her classes, besides her cultural group.
Walter Sieruk says
This is sort of a reminder that jihadist operatives from that Islamic tyranny of Iran with the danger they are o engaging in murderous and destructive Islamic terror attack in the United States. This is serious threat, nevertheless, we, as Americans, should no live in fear and be afraid to go to different places and do different things
Nevertheless all patriotic Americans need to be aware of this and be alert to observe anything or anyone that doesn’t’ seem or look right. Then if something or someone suspicious is observed then police officer should be informed about it.
For example, a tee-shit vendor ta Times Square once was some smoke come out a parked van, so he told a police officer about. That van did have explosives in it that had been rigged to go off, yet it didn’t.
This led to the Muslim terrorist who jihad bomb -rigged van being captured and later imprisoned.
As it has been said “ If you see something, say something.” Another way to put this was written by Thomas Jefferson. For the wisdom, he wrote applies even more now than in his own time.
For Mr. Jefferson wrote, “Let the eye of vigilance never be closed.”
Beans🫘 says
Iran just cut all communication with the USA. They are now demanding a total withdrawal of Israel from Lebanon before they speak to us again. Also, they will close the straight around Yemen, with their savages in Yemen, the wonderful Houthis.
Gas should hit five a gallon for the foreseeable future. Let’s see what Trump does. Does he force Israel to withdraw? We can bomb the shit out of Iran, but the Hormuz will stay closed no matter what. The shippers simply follow Iranian rules and not ours. Even with our custom insurance they refused.
40 percent of our pre war government oil stockpile has been released into the system, not all of that 40 was wasted. About the same percent of our missile defense is also used up.
I supported this war, and I won’t now pretend I didn’t. Options are closing up on us it seems. The IRGC today, took total control of Iran and the president offered to resign, but they said you stay on as a puppet. IRGC is readying for a very long conflict, and permanent closure of both straits. They will forced the hand of Asia, the gulf countries to push Trump to withdraw.
None of these clowns want to help us.
࿗Infidel࿘ says
At this point, watching the ineptness & stupidity of our “very stable genius” POTUS, I’m all for US pulling out everybody, but giving Israel a carte-blanche to do whatever is needed, w/o us saying a word. At least that should silence the anti-war part of the MAGA coalition up in arms against Trump for this
After that, Israel can work w/ Pahlavi and put together the plan to oust the IRGC completely and take over Iran
࿗Infidel࿘ says
One way to resolve this might be to try buy out Russia – offer to just lift all sanctions on them, and let them renew selling oil to whoever they want – India, Japan, Korea,….. Essentially, compensate for the oil from the Gulf countries that can’t make it across Hormuz
Incidentally, I read the other day that most Asian countries have stopped buying Saudi oil, b’cos it’s more expensive. This despite the fact that thanks to their East-West pipeline that takes the oil to the Red Sea from where they can ship it, they are not dependent on Hormuz being open. If Asia can break free of Saudi oil, they apparently have more options than what we think, and that the importance of Hormuz is being overstated. Yeah, it matters to Kuwait, Bahrein, Qatar and Emirates, but not to the buyers of that oil, who seem to be getting it from other sources
Walter Sieruk says
Back when Ayatollah Khamenei, was still alive and held supreme power in Iran, he was , without doubt, is very happy and glad those in high positions in institutions of “higher education” have accepted bribes by the stealth jihadists and have brainwashed and manipulated those poor naive and misinformed college young people to be his useful idiots to attempt to fulfill that Islamic goal of destroying the State of Israel and then replacing her with an Islamic “state.”
Another terrible harsh and tragic reality is that Khamenei, couldn’t have cared less about those American college people who he only uses as his stooges. That Ayatollah, because of his religion Shiite Islam even dislikes those non-Muslim youth who are his tools and he even hate those Sunni Muslims who are also they his tools.
Those college young people who have been terribly deceived and likewise led astray by Islamic disinformation and are now being used should not be scorned but instead they should be pitied.
Beans🫘 says
Yea and also right wing media are his puppets. Like the hodge twins, Megyn the burka Kelly, Tucker of Arabia, Candace Owens and others who are firmly pro Islamic now. Don’t forget that whole crew.
James Lincoln says
According to the feature article:
“If the Islamic Republic falls, Hamas, Hezbollah and the Houthis will likely follow.”
Yes, the United States and Israel need to take down the IRGC.
Iran needs a pre-1979 type government that the free world can at least work with.
Beans🫘 says
James the best I think we could do is to foment separatism. The irgc won’t fall.
1. They have all the guns
2. They are actually very popular in the country side. Where the people are ignorant and brainwashed. In the cities it leans more towards not so popular.
3 the problem is, there is just way too many places to hide out in the country side and the mountains, with many many storage depots. They would put the larger cities under siege, and wait them out.
4. The problem if you support ethnic separatists is that the Hormuz will be permanently closed by the irgc. We cannot have that, too much oil must flow to the word economy. The IRGC can simply launch a few drones and suicide boats daily in their weakest state. That coastline is so vast and rugged. They would terrorize the world.
5. I can see the Hezbollah horde falling, even that is unlikely but I can see it. The Houthi orcs, no, they are actually very popular among their idiotic population and they are too entrenched as well. They can be put under siege though, but the outcry of the world would be too much.
6. Trump must not lose focus and he must de nuclearize Iran. That is all that we really can fairly expect at this point, if you see the facts on the ground. Iran did very well in this war. They simply will never surrender their missiles. Trump must get the nuclear crap out.
7. I will be very cynical but honest. I believe a non nuclear Islamic controlled Iran is a benefit to American power. This will prevent the Islamic world from unifying into one commercial force. Also, if Iran stays a threat to the region, we sell a ton of weapons, and we are required to be there. If we are required to be there, we essentially control the word trade of oil by being based there. Also, it makes sure the petro dollar stays the king. If these Muslims unify and there is peace with Israel, they will slowly integrate into an Islamic Union. We will not be needed any more. Our bases will be kicked out, they won’t need the dollar. If Iran stays, there is a constant threat. They need weapons and they need us there to pretend to protect them. That’s my position.
࿗Infidel࿘ says
Beans
Supporting separatism within Iran will be the one thing that will turn the Iranian people against us. Aside from their hatred of the regime and increasing hatred of islam, the other thing that unites them is the integrity of their nation. Splitting them up will only make them really hate us, as opposed to the fake hate they used to do to keep the ayatollahs happy
They are also not popular in the countryside, or rural Iran, for a variety of reasons, not the least of which is the water crisis and environmental degredation. Fealty to islam doesn’t resolve that. When there were uprisings in January, they were nationwide – from Tabriz to Chabahar and Mashhed to Abadan. Rural Iran didn’t punt on those protests. Also, if the IRGC had a catchment in rural Iran, they wouldn’t be importing militias from Iraq, Lebanon, Afghanistan and Pakistan – non Iranian and even non-shi’a (in the case of Pakis & Afghans)
Israel is willing to deal w/ Hizbullah and the Houthis on their own terms: it is the islamic regime that’s insisting on tying up these talks w/ immunity for them, which Israel isn’t willing to grant. I wouldn’t worry about Hizbullah or the Houthis either: Israel should just focus on ousting the islamic regime
The fact remains that the regime is so unpopular that even if their partisans try to hide in the country, they’ll simply be at large, but not in a position to prevent a new government from taking over. Finally, even Pezeshkian has had enough of being ignored, and has offered to resign. The problem w/ your scenarios is who does the US/Israel deal w/? Previously, it was the regime, but now, w/ the ayatollahs mostly dead and even the IRGC reduced, Iran simply has no government. If things are left this way, they’ll simply become another Somalia/Yemen, and a threat to all shipping in Hormuz
No, overthrow of this regime, and maybe a Pahlavi transition, is the best that Iran can hope for
Beans🫘 says
Overthrowing the regime is not an option. Trump thinks pavhlavi is a fool, as does PBD who knows him.
Trump is out for a nuclear deal, and re open the Hormuz. everything else be damned. That’s the only things that are realistic. American power has been proven to be very limited. Except for wiping out their infrastructure, there are no new magic weapons that can be used to bring a new result.
I would be happy with this deal trump is pursuing. Obviously, he would have to give up and take sanctions off. That tells you a lot about the facts on the ground. They have massive leverage over the world economy. Trump and the pentagon are aware, the USA cannot open the Hormuz. Not so much because Iran is so strong but because the shippers demand total safety. If one drone flies around buzzing, well they just shut it down. And the news says Iran controls it. There is a time limit on this shut down, where the world runs out of oil. That’s the massive leverage. The world cowers in front of Iran and refuses to help themselves. India with a massive navy, and being right there, just stands by. How long can they handle this? Idk.
gravenimage says
Iran’s Academic Fifth Column in the U.S.
……………………………………………….
Deport them.
Huh?!? says
+1