Professor is fired over her help for Iranian regime as she used the college’s letterhead to assault Israel
A University of Arkansas professor was fired after she allegedly used the school’s letterhead improperly, praised the Iranian Supreme Leader and criticized Israel.
Shirin Saeidi, 45, who headed the school’s Middle East Studies program, was ousted from her post at the school on Friday, according to The New York Post.
According to the Alliance Against Islamic Regime of Iran Apologists (AAIRIA), she used the school’s letterhead to appeal for the release of Hamid Nouri.
Nouri was convicted in a Swedish court in 2022 for executing thousands of political prisoners in Iran in 1988. He was released in a prisoner swap last year.
She was also a vocal opponent of Israel on her X page, which has since been suspended, and praised the Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
In a post, seen by the outlet, she said: ‘The leader who kept Iran intact during the Israeli attack. May god protect you.’
Another post that also appeared to have come from her account said: ‘Haters are gonna hate, but I have no fears. Free Palestine. Dismantle the Israeli state.’
The letterhead was shown to the Post and the outlet subsequently sent it to Mike Huckabee, the US ambassador to Israel.
Shirin Saeidi, 45, who headed the school’s Middle East Studies program, was ousted from her post at the school on Friday
She was a vocal opponent of Israel on her X page, which has since been suspended, and praised the Ayatollah Ali Khamenei
He told the outlet that Saeidi’s remarks about Israel were ‘hate filled antisemitic venom.’
Huckabee added: ‘Whether Shirin Saeidi should be fired is a decision for the administration and the UA board.
‘But praising the Iranian leader – who calls not only for the slaughter of Jews but also calls for the destruction of America – makes me think this deranged professor would probably be better suited to being given a one-way ticket to Tehran and taking a job of teaching in their hate-infested schools.’
A spokesman for the university later confirmed to the outlet that Saeidi was no longer employed at their school.
The university also said they would be investigating the alleged improper use of the letterhead in accordance with policy.
A petition was launched before her expulsion by the AAIRIA that called for the university to ‘immediately investigate and terminate’ Saeidi.
The petition, which garnered just over 3,800 before she was let go, said: ‘These actions have severely undermined the credibility of the University of Arkansas by violating fundamental academic and ethical norms, including honesty in research, accuracy in scholarship, protection of human subjects, integrity in professional conduct, and respect for survivors of mass atrocities.
‘Allowing this conduct to go unchallenged harms students, degrades the university’s academic reputation, and signals tolerance for fraud, propaganda, and discrimination.’
Nouri, seen here, was convicted in a Swedish court in 2022 for executing thousand of political prisoners in Iran in 1988. He was released in a prisoner swap last year
A spokesman for the university, pictured, confirmed that Saeidi was no longer employed at their school
‘We call on the University of Arkansas to act immediately to protect its integrity and uphold the values of truth, justice, and ethical scholarship.’
Saeidi previously spoke with the New York Times in November 2023 in a story detailing a state law in Arkansas that stifled pro-Palestinians.
She told the outlet: ‘We’ve been struggling to figure out a way to invite knowledgeable professors and activists and researchers to talk with us.’
Current laws require contractors for state to sign a pledge saying they won’t boycott Israel.
The Daily Mail contacted Saeidi for comment and the university.
