Iran may purge schools of Western thought

TEHRAN, Sept. 6 (UPI) -- The government body overseeing universities will purge Iranian universities of Western influences, a deputy of the supreme leader said Sunday.

"Many of the syllabuses taught to students majoring in humanities are not in line with Iranian and Islamic culture and therefore their revision is a must," Hamid Reza Ayatollahi said in a statement published by Iranian news agencies.

He announced a plan for the revision, including the formation of a committee to "eliminate certain curricula and replace them with Islamic materials."

Critics, calling this a purge, said it is another in a 30-year series of attempts to impose on the country's society puritanical values espoused by the hard-liners who dominate political life in Iran, the Los Angeles Times reported.

Among the critics is former President Mohammad Khatami, a prominent reformist.

"Certain individuals reject liberalism, but their opposition is based on fascism and totalitarianism," he posted on his Web site.

Critics say the purge could backfire by lowering Iran's educational standards and radicalizing those brought into the political realm by recent presidential elections.