Iran–US Tensions Reach Universities as Emory Expels Daughter of Senior Iranian Official

The ongoing political and diplomatic tug-of-war between Iran and the United States has now reached academic institutions as well. Emory University, located in Atlanta, has expelled Fatima Ardeshir Larijani—the daughter of Ali Larijani, Secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council—from the university.

A faculty member at Emory University confirmed the decision to BBC Persian. Fatima Larijani was affiliated with the university’s cancer research department. For some time, opponents of the Iranian government had been staging continuous protests outside the university campus, demanding her dismissal.

The matter escalated further when Earl Carter, a Republican representative from Georgia, wrote to the university administration, demanding not only Fatima Larijani’s removal from her position but also the revocation of her medical license.

It is noteworthy that in January 2025, the United States added Ali Larijani to its sanctions list over alleged involvement in the suppression of anti-government protests in Iran, participation in a “shadow banking network,” and money laundering of oil revenues.

Meanwhile, Iranian citizens living in various countries around the world have also taken to the streets. Demonstrations are being held in several countries in support of the nationwide protests ongoing in Iran, with demands that individuals linked to the Iranian government be expelled from their host countries.

Taken together, this incident clearly indicates that tensions between Iran and the United States are no longer confined to politics alone, but are increasingly affecting education, research, and everyday life as well.