The Deputy of Cultural and Propaganda at the Iranian regime’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said at an IRGC gathering on July 15, 2010, that, “To establish contact with the younger generation, we need to tap into the capabilities of IRGC writers to present a platform for exchange of scientific ideas for other authors. This elite institution will soon be established in the vicinity of the University of Tehran with the approval of the IRGC commander-in-chief.”
The “IRGC Association of Cultural Elites” at the university and “Officers in Cultural Warfare” at schools will be tasked with shielding the regime from the “Cultural NATO.”
On Sunday, the Iranian regime’s Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, said in a meeting with his representatives at universities that the trend of making universities Islamic should be expedited. He described the presence of mullahs in universities as “one of the signs of becoming Islamic.”
Immediately thereafter, the mullahs’ President, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, announced his acquiescence with plans to hire 4,000 mullahs as “professors and members of the faculty” in various universities in Iran.
The IRGC’s “cultural” initiative shows the dictatorial regime’s anxiety over the uprisings in Iran and especially their epicenter in universities. The IRGC has concluded that the presence of its paramilitary Bassij Force no longer suffices to curb protests, so it has decided to directly establish a presence in and around campuses in order to control universities.
Universities such as Science and Technology and Sharif were scenes of intense protests against Ahmadinejad when he decided to visit their campuses. He was forced to flee from the scenes, which showed that the Bassij is unable to control such situations.
The IRGC’s new organ in the vicinity of the University of Tehran shows that it feels extremely threatened by students. It has set up the organization to obtain intelligence and organize attacks on students, which will not be restricted to the campus. The plan is expected to be implemented in other cities in the coming months.