In the seventh Farabi Festival, Iranian president Hassan Rohani defended freedom and independence in the study of Humanities stressing that political interference in science and academic pursuits is not in the interest of the government or universities.

Farabi Festival, which has dedicated its seventh session to the study of humanities, convened on Saturday January 31 with President Hassan Rohan attending at Shaheed Beheshti Hall.

Rohani criticized security laden atmosphere of universities stressing that the cradle of science and academic pursuits needs to be free and independent. “Science and Knowledge needs a free environment and professors and students and researchers should not be threatened for what they say,” Rohani said.

The Rohani administration has been fighting a tough battle in its attempt to open the political atmosphere of the country against a rising conservative backlash.

The study of humanities in Iran has been heavily strained with islamization projects of Islamic Republic hardliners after Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei pointed its finger at as the teeming ground of dissent against the regime.

Radio Zamaneh