Emory University Forces Out Iranian Official’s Daughter Amid Protests
The daughter of a prominent Iranian official has been quietly let go from her position at Emory University, following a surge of public outcry regarding her employment. This information was confirmed by the California Post.
Fatemeh Ardeshir Larijani, who served as an Assistant Professor at the university’s esteemed Winship Cancer Institute, is no longer with the Atlanta-based institution, as announced by a university representative on Sunday.
Her father, Ali Larijani, is a significant figure in the Iranian government, holding the position of secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council.
“The doctor, who is the daughter of an Iranian government official, is no longer an Emory employee,” stated Andrea Clement, communications director for the Winship Cancer Institute.
Pressure had been growing for Larijani to be removed from her role and possibly deported from the U.S. due to the violent crackdown on protesters in Iran that escalated in late December.
Almost 100,000 individuals signed a petition demanding that the U.S. government take immediate action regarding her immigration and employment status. The petition called for her deportation.
Protests at Emory intensified on January 19, when Iranian-American demonstrators confronted the medical center with signs proclaiming, “Did you know that the daughter of an Iranian terrorist mastermind is your colleague?”
Republican Congressman Earl “Buddy” Carter sent a letter urging Emory and the Georgia Medical Board to terminate her employment and revoke her medical license.
“Her association with the largest state sponsor of terrorism is unacceptable and only undermines patient safety, public trust, and national security,” Carter remarked in a correspondence shared on social media.
Reports indicate that Larijani obtained her green card in 2021 during the Biden administration.
While she was building her career in the U.S., treating patients and conducting research, her father was allegedly involved in repressing the people of Tehran and publicly denouncing the United States.
He has faced U.S. sanctions for being among the first Iranian leaders to endorse violence against the demonstrators seeking change in Iran.
Although Emory claimed its hiring practices were lawful, it has since removed Larijani’s faculty page from its website.
University officials described the situation as a “personal matter” but did not elaborate further.
This event marks a significant win for activists, who have spent considerable time questioning why the daughter of a regime figure known for hostility toward the U.S. was receiving taxpayer-funded salary in Georgia.
In response to inquiries, the White House mentioned it was “reviewing” the immigration status of Iranians who received benefits during the Biden administration.
