Iran: Signing of a Disgraceful Memorandum of Understanding Between Minister of Education and the Criminal Commander of SSF
Legitimizing the Entry of Repressive Forces into Educational Environments to Suppress Uprisings and Protests
The disgraceful memorandum of understanding between the Ministry of Education of the ruling religious fascism in Iran and the State Security Force (SSF) reflects both the regime’s fear of student protests and uprisings and the formalization of the overt and covert presence of SSF agents in schools and educational institutions.
The memorandum, signed on April 20, 2025, by Brigadier General Ahmadreza Radan, commander of the State Security Force, and Alireza Kazemi, Minister of Education under Pezeshkian’s administration, was published by the Quds Force-affiliated Tasnim News Agency, which quoted the Ministry of Education.
During the signing ceremony, Kazemi addressed Radan saying: “In every field, I am a soldier of Commander Radan… The Ministry of Education is at your full service…”
The stated objectives of the memorandum include “cooperation in establishing security,” “promoting and developing social order and discipline,” and “working to prevent emerging social harms and risky behaviors.” These objectives clearly imply security, surveillance, and repressive measures targeting students and teachers. It is evident that the published version of the text does not encompass the entirety of the agreements.
The Ministry of Education’s commitments to the State Security Force (SSF) are listed in ten clauses. Among them, the Ministry pledges to involve the police in the development of “textbooks and educational materials” through “collaboration and participation.” Another clause commits to cooperation “in implementing the plans of specialized police forces (including the cyber police, anti-narcotics police, traffic police, prevention police, criminal investigations, and the intelligence organization), police assistants, and others for cultural integration for administrative and educational staff, students, and their parents.”
Additional obligations include collaborating with the SSF in drafting guidelines for reducing risk factors, and cooperating in using educational, training, athletic, and other facilities.
In return, the SSF commits to activities such as “developing a plan to counter virtual space threats and providing policing services,” “cooperating in implementing the student social protection system,” and “delivering or executing judicial rulings against teachers, administrative staff, and students outside of educational premises.” This indicates a significant number of repressive rulings already issued against students and educational staff.
The NCRI Education Committee, while condemning this disgraceful memorandum, calls on teachers and students to oppose and protest it. It also urges all international human rights organizations, as well as teachers’, students’, and university associations and unions, to denounce the clerical regime’s repressive actions against students and educators.
Secretariat of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI)
Education Committee
21 April 2025