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Iran's science minister spurs dormant student movement

Conservative members of Iran's parliament have issued a warning to Iran's science minister for hiring individuals deemed close to the 2009 Green Movement.
Dr. Faraji Dana claps as Iranian President Mohammad Khatami receives his honorary international relations doctorate in Tehran.  Dr. Faraji Dana (R), president of Tehran University, claps as Iranian President Mohammad Khatami receives his honorary international relations doctorate from Tehran University April 27, 2005. REUTERS/Morteza Nikoubazl - RTR9DQU

Reza Faraji Dana, Iran's minister of science, research and technology, has received a warning card from parliament. Faraji Dana is the second member of the new cabinet — after Minister of Education Ali Asghar Faani — to be called to parliament to answer questions in an open session. His answers about his hirings, however, did not satisfy conservative members of parliament (MPs), resulting in the warning card. Any MP who receives three warning cards, known as yellow cards in Iran, is automatically impeached.

Conservatives in the Iranian parliament have targeted Faraji Dana for hiring individuals apparently sympathetic to the 2009 Green Movement protests. But what may really concern conservative Iranian MPs is the role he can play as minister of science in revitalizing Iran’s dormant but potentially explosive student movement.

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