Iran claims links with British universities

Daily Telegraph: Iran is claiming to be backing the creation of Islamic studies departments at British universities.

The Daily Telegraph

Iran is claiming to be backing the creation of Islamic studies departments at British universities.

By Graeme Paton

Officials from the country's Ministry of Science, Research and Technology said they were in talks with a number of universities in Britain, the United States and Germany.

Reports from Tehran claim they will provide teaching materials and scholars after striking up deals with several unnamed institutions.

Gholamreza Khajesarvi, a government official, told the Islamic Republic News Agency: "The ministry is currently studying proposals by numerous world academic centres and universities including several universities from Britain, the United States, and Germany.

"The departments will be set up to train and educate experts on Islam so as to assist in the introduction of Islam and its realities to the world in a proper academic setting."

It is not known which universities or colleges, if any, are currently in contact with Iran.

Glyn Gaskarth, a policy analyst at the TaxPayers' Alliance, said: "Universities funded by the British taxpayer should not take money or academic direction from totalitarian Islamist regimes like Iran."