Iran’s Ministry of Science, Research, and Technology announced that all universities across the country would remain online-only until the end of the first semester of the 2023-2024 academic year. The last time such a measure was implemented was during the COVID-19 pandemic.
This nationwide decision comes despite many provinces experiencing neither unusual cold nor severe air pollution.
The Ministry’s announcement follows reports of sporadic protests over the past week due to Iran’s inability to supply adequate energy. Historically, universities have played a pivotal role in sparking protests in Iran, as seen in 2017, 2019, and 2022.
Before this announcement, Beheshti University reported on its Telegram channel on Wednesday night, December 18, that its classes would be held online from Saturday, December 21, until the end of the semester.
According to the national academic calendar, the first semester for Iranian universities ends on January 10.
In the December 18 directive, signed by Reza Taghizadeh, Director-General of Higher Education Planning, university presidents were authorized to shift classes online “if deemed appropriate.”
The directive emphasized that final exams and thesis defense sessions must still be conducted in person.
This decision comes as students require electricity and internet access for online sessions. Recently, widespread power outages occurred, with 13 power plants going offline due to a lack of fuel.
Following increased reports of internet disruptions across the country, the Ministry of Communications issued a statement on December 12, attributing the issues to power outages affecting telecommunications sites.
Ineffective Closures
Since early December, many provinces, including Tehran, have repeatedly faced closures under reasons such as “energy conservation,” “cold weather,” or “pollution,” as announced by local authorities.
These closures are estimated to cost the country 50 trillion rials (approximately $65 million) per day.
Meanwhile, Hamidreza Rastegarpour, head of Tehran’s Chamber of Guilds, warned that large stores selling non-essential goods must close due to the intensifying cold and gas shortages. He stressed that violators keeping their shops open past 8:00 PM would face closure by authorities.
Nationwide closures have been justified by claims of reducing air pollution or managing energy consumption. However, Mohammad Sadegh Mo’tamedian, Tehran’s governor, bluntly stated that the government’s decision has merely “shifted the crisis from one place to another,” increasing fuel consumption in the process.
