The commander of Iran’s regime police force and the regime’s minister of education have signed an agreement that officially allows police forces to enter schools. Under this agreement, military personnel are granted authority in educational matters and can take action to enforce compulsory hijab on students in schools.
On Sunday, April 20, Iranian media reported that with a joint memorandum of understanding signed between Ahmadreza Radan, the commander-in-chief of the regime’s state security forces (SSF), and Alireza Kazemi, the regime’s education minister, police have been officially authorized to be present in the country’s schools.
At the signing ceremony, Kazemi described himself “proudly” as a soldier of Radan and said that with this agreement with the police force, it is now possible to focus more than before on the “cultural affairs” of schools.
Amnesty International Condemns Iran’s Mandatory Hijab Law as a Violation of Women’s Rights
Kazemi referred to “hijab and modesty” as one of the current cultural problems in the country that requires cultural work, stating: “In all matters, including hijab, we must carry out cultural and foundational work to raise awareness.”
He added: “The root of all economic and social issues in the country is cultural. Therefore, we must institutionalize the culture of economy and security from childhood, implementing this practically in elementary and secondary school levels.”
Radan also stated during the signing ceremony that the Police Command is set to be actively involved in producing educational, social, and cultural content for schools and will establish direct communication with teachers and students’ parents.
The commander of SSF stated, “The enemy has realized better than we have that the most influential group in Iranian society is students,” adding, “The enemy is influencing our students and is trying to hijack their minds through cyberspace. The biggest thieves who are not being pursued are the mafia of those who steal students’ minds. This is an issue that must not be taken lightly.”
Radan, who is under sanctions by the European Union, the United States, and Canada for his major role in human rights violations in Iran, stated: “This excellent interaction between the two bodies, the police and the Ministry of Education, is not enough. If we consider it sufficient, we will fall into the third negligence, and once again, we will be caught off guard in that third negligence.”
Increased repression of students
The signing of this agreement between the Ministry of Education and the police chief clearly shows that Iran’s regime plans new programs to further control and repress students.
Given the SSF’s history of repression and violent confrontations with protesting citizens, this development is a warning sign of an increase in student rights violations in Iranian schools.
The regime’s efforts to militarize schools and suppress protesting students, teachers, and union activists have a long-standing history over the past two decades.
In one of the most recent examples, on March 24, Tasnim News Agency, affiliated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), published a report advocating for the installation of surveillance cameras in classrooms, stating that this issue has become a contentious matter among officials at the Ministry of Education.
These pressures have intensified since the nationwide protests that began after the death of Mahsa Amini in the custody of the regime’s morality police in 2022, particularly targeting teachers and students who oppose the regime’s policies.
