Iran holding academic on ‘infiltration’ charge
Australian population expert with dual citizenship arrested in Iran
Dubai — Iran has detained an Australian-based academic on charges of trying to “infiltrate” Iranian institutions, according to official media. Meimanat Hosseini-Chavoshi was detained as she was leaving Iran, the state news agency Irna said. Hosseini-Chavoshi, a population expert, is affiliated with the Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, according to the University of Melbourne’s website. Population control has become a sensitive issue in Iran since Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei issued an edict in 2014 calling for a population increase after decades of state-promoted birth control. In October, Khamenei called for increased efforts to combat enemy “infiltration” as tensions escalated with the US after Washington withdrew from a landmark nuclear deal and reimposed sanctions on Iran. Asked about reports that several experts advocating population curbs had been arrested, judiciary spokesman Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei said on Sunday: “One person has been arrested in...
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