Iran’s seminaries debate financial independence amid budget cuts
The Hassan Rouhani administration has slashed budget allocations for seminaries and other religious institutions, fueling a debate on whether Iran's theological seats of learning ought to be self-funded.
Iran's theological seats of learning appear set to face major difficulties in the coming Iranian year (beginning March 21) as the government has significantly reduced their budget allocations.
Various institutions and seminaries receive money from the government to promote religion and train clerics. In the budget bill submitted by the administration to the parliament, religious institutions and seminaries are facing a serious reduction in their annual budgets. For example, the government has allocated some 3.063 trillion rials ($72.86 million) to the Supreme Council of Qom Seminaries for the coming Iranian year. In comparison, the council received 4.45 trillion rials ($105.9 million) in the current year (ending March 20).
Ayatollah Ali-Reza Aarafi, who oversees all seminaries across the country, lamented the current state of affairs on Jan. 17, saying, "The seminary is in its worst condition economically." He added, “The budgets of seminaries have been reduced by a third" of what they were last year.
It is unclear whether the administration of moderate President Hassan Rouhani is pursuing a particular aim — beyond the obvious cost savings — with the vast cuts in funding for religious institutions. However, Rouhani may be taking advantage of the economic pressure on the country from the reimposition of US sanctions as a pretext to reduce the budgets of seminaries. It should not be overlooked that the leaking of previously undisclosed budget allocations for religious institutions in December 2017 helped stoke massive public dissatisfaction over that winter.
