Iran Issues List Of Banned Cities, Banned University Courses For Afghans

By Golnaz Esfandiari, RFE/RL

Iran's National Organization for Educational Testing has issued a list of university courses that are banned for Afghans living in Iran, including atomic physics, nuclear engineering, aerospace engineering, chemical engineering, and military sciences.

The list has been published by the semi-official Mehr news agency, which reports that Afghans are banned from studying courses that will create "employment obligations" for the Islamic republic.

Mehr also says that Afghans can apply only at universities that are not located in areas where they have been banned from living.

The "prohibited areas" where Afghans are not allowed to reside, according to Mehr's list, include a dozen provinces and a number of cities in different parts of Iran.

Recent limitations on Afghans living in Iran have angered some Iranians who have protested mainly on social media.