September 29, 2024
The Alliance Against Islamic Regime of Iran Apologists (AAIRIA) strongly condemns Dartmouth College’s decision to invite Seyed Hossein Mousavian to speak at the event “Israel and Iran: The Future of the Middle East” on September 30, 2024. Mousavian, Iran’s former Ambassador to Germany and a senior official in its National Security Council represents a regime guilty of crimes against humanity, state-sponsored terrorism, and gender apartheid.
During his tenure, at least 24 Iranian dissidents were assassinated on European soil by Iranian agents, including the notorious 1992 Mykonos restaurant massacre in Berlin. Mousavian defended these actions and also endorsed the fatwa against author Salman Rushdie, reflecting the regime’s blatant opposition to free expression and dissent.
In addition to his troubling past, just a few months ago, Mousavian wrote an article praising Ebrahim Raisi, the former Iranian president and a key figure in the 1988 massacre of political prisoners. Raisi, a member of the “Death Committee,” was implicated in issuing death sentences to thousands of political prisoners. This atrocity was acknowledged in the recent Swedish court case of Hamid Nouri. Mousavian’s defense of Raisi further demonstrates his alignment with a regime involved in atrocities and genocide.
AAIRIA is concerned by Dartmouth’s misleading framing of the event as “exploring how the Iran-Israel rivalry shapes regional stability.” This false equivalency ignores the Islamic Republic’s decades-long refusal to recognize Israel and its efforts to destroy the country. For nearly half a century, slogans like “Death to America” and “Death to Israel” have isolated the Iranian people, destroyed their economy, and limited international engagement—all for the regime’s ideological agenda.
By hosting Mousavian, Dartmouth legitimizes a figure tied to terrorism, crimes against humanity, and the gender apartheid enforced by the regime, which systematically denies women fundamental rights. This contradicts the institution’s commitment to justice and human rights. We call on Dartmouth to cancel Mousavian’s participation and stand with the Iranian people—especially women, the LGBTQ community, and minorities—who continue to suffer under the Islamic Republic’s brutal regime.
For more information or interviews, contact: AAIRIA
Email: info@aairia.org Phone: +1 (562) 212-9546
About AAIRIA
The Alliance Against Islamic Regime of Iran Apologists (AAIRIA) is dedicated to exposing and countering those who defend the Islamic Republic of Iran. We advocate for the rights of the Iranian people and hold individuals and institutions accountable for supporting the regime’s oppression.
