The National Association of Scholars calls on Princeton University to immediately dismiss Professor Sayed Hossein Mousavian from his position.
Last November, the U.S. House of Representative Committee on Education and the Workforce opened an investigation into Mousavian over his current position as a Middle East and nuclear policy expert in Princeton’s School of Public and International Affairs in light of his past work for the Iranian government.
Prior to 2009, Professor Mousavian worked as a nuclear negotiator for the Iranian regime, and worked as ambassador to Germany at an embassy connected with multiple terrorist attacks and assassinations against Iranian dissidents. In a 2016 interview, former Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif stated his belief that Mousavian continues to work for Tehran. The Iranian dissident organization, Alliance Against Islamic Republic of Iran Apologists, has called for Mousavian’s dismissal over alleged ties to terrorism. We support this call.
Princeton’s employment of Mousavian in a position suited to shaping public perception and policy towards Iran’s nuclear program is not only detrimental to national security, but cedes academia’s integrity to a hostile regime linked to terrorism and human rights abuses.
Mousavian should be dismissed immediately.
Photo by Chatham House - Dr Seyed Hossein Mousavian, Senior Nuclear Negotiator for Iran (2003–05), CC BY 2.0
