Refusing to Continue Studying at the University; a Response to SAVAK Proposal

Translated by Ruhollah Golmoradi

2022-10-11

When I met Mr. Beheshti in Tehran (after his release from prison) [October/November 1972/1351], based on previous information he had about my studies at Mashhad University, he asked during one of our conversations: “by the way! What do you want to do with your academic education? Aren't you going to continue?” I said: “I have decided not to continue my studies at the university anymore. It causes trouble and may be useless.”

He firmly emphasized, and insisted: “No! You should definitely continue your studies at university, it's a pity. You have worked hard for two or three years.” His advice motivated me and I decided to finish university studies when I returned to Mashhad.

A few days after this meeting I went Mashhad, and motivated by Mr. Beheshti's talk, I went to the university.

It was normal that my classmates and even other students to react after a one-year absence. I hadn’t been there for a year and the situation had changed. I had friends who were very indifferent in political issues, but this time, they welcomed me with respectfully enthusiasm. Given this university atmosphere, I went to register in our college. First, they said: “Come and register at present, it's not a problem. Usually, students who are arrested and imprisoned register, SAVAK temporarily calls them, but slowly the problem is solved, and SAVAK also not doesn’t hinder, and actually students like you can continue their studies.” Based on these words, I went and registered. I already owed the university including the equipment we used in the laboratory or probably were damaged or broken, I settled up them and presented in class in the new semester. Some time after the classes, one of our masters who ironically was dean of the faculty, one day he gently took me to a side and said: “Have you been informed that you have to meet the superior?” the superior meant SAVAK. I said: “No!” He said: “Then you should go to SAVAK and report yourself to the police.” I also went there a day or two later. At first, they threatened me very respectfully! Then they said: “Your case is still open and we will respect you, otherwise there are confessions about you that we can arrest and imprison you again.” Then they asked me for some photos and identification documents, and finally they put a form in front of me that I had to sign. It was written in the form that I had to inform SAVAK if I have or obtained information from my friends. In fact, they implicitly called me to cooperate with SAVAK and this was beginning of a new adventure. I didn't sign that form and said: “I neither sign this form nor am I interested in continuing my studies!” They said: “Why? that's a pity! You have worked so hard.” I said: “The truth is that from the very beginning I was not interested in studying at the university.” Telling this statement, in fact, I wanted to sweep it under the carpet. But I understood it didn’t work! They threatened me more and said: “Whether you want to study at the university or not, you have to sign this form.” I said: “Now that it's the situation, give me a chance to complete my photos and documents; the next time, I will sign the form.” They also were not hard on me, and I got out of SAVAK with this trick and never came back. After a while, a day or two days before the exams started, I informed some of my friends about what had happened and that I would no longer appear for the exams. On the day of the exam, when I didn't go, all my friends and classmates realized that there was a problem and I had been banned from studying, but the fact was that I didn't continue myself; because my conclusion from signing the SAVAK cooperation form was this: students who sign such a form can to continue their studies, on the same condition of cooperation with SAVAK. I didn't sign the form and made my final decision, but my decision to not going to university suspected SAVAK: What am I going to do now that I've given up studying at university?

Source: Qobadi, Mohammad, (2019) Memorial of Those Days: Memories of Hojjat al-Islam Val-Muslemin Seyyed Hadi Khamenei. Tehran: Sooreh Mehr Publication, pp. 318-320.