During a May 2 speech to Iranian teachers, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei warned about the designs of an "international hegemonic system" led by the United States, Israel and other hostile countries. He said this system has designs to change the culture of Iran's youth into one that is not Islamic or indigenous. As an example of this phenomenon, Khamenei raised the issue of the promotion of English in Iranian schools.

While English language classes are mandatory for high school students in Iran, Khamenei is concerned that even some kindergartens are teaching English now. Khamenei clarified that he is not opposed to learning a foreign language, but for him "the prime issue is the promotion of a foreign language among children, adolescents and youth."

President Hassan Rouhani, who has promised more engagement with the West as a means to improve Iran's struggling economy, addressed Khamenei's comments about foreign language education during a May 4 speech.

"The other day at a meeting of the Supreme Cultural Council, comments about the supreme leader's statements were exchanged," Rouhani said. "The question was presented, ‘Why is it that in Europe students must learn two additional languages in addition to their own language but in this field we are one step behind?’" He added, "However much we can familiarize our youth with other languages of the world, we have opened a new window of science, knowledge and understanding of the world to them."