شبکه دانش پژوهان ایران آزاد
Mission
The Free Iran Scholars Network supports the Iranian people’s uprising for freedom and promotes global unity among scholars, academicians, and professionals to establish a pluralistic, secular, democratic, prosperous and republic Iran.
Vision
The Network seeks to foster critical thinking and intellectual inquiry into the dictatorships of the past and present and empower Iranians in their journey to democracy and freedom. As a secular and entirely self-governed entity by its participants, the Network is committed to diversity of thoughts, collective knowledge, and expertise in support of the uprising of the people of Iran for democratic change and establishing a secular republic.
Core Objectives
The Network is committed to the following core objectives that establish the foundation of the Network’s strategic planning that guides its actions and initiatives:
- Supporting the movement for a democratic and secular republic of Iran.
- Supporting scholars and students in Iran who oppose the regime.
- Exposing the regime’s manipulation of western academic institutions for its gain.
- Developing plans for higher education, industry, medical entities, and other societal structures to aid in the transition to a free Iran.
- Providing a platform for the exchange of ideas and collaboration among scholars and academicians.
- Building a supportive professional network among members.
Within the framework of our core beliefs, we welcome and enthusiastically invite all individuals and groups for collaboration towards our shared values and goals.
Why and How We Came Together
For more than a century, the Iranian nation, with its rich ethnic and cultural diversity, has struggled to achieve democracy and freedom. The Iranian people have witnessed repeated cycles of massacres, executions, assassinations, torture, and terror under the dictatorial regimes of the shahs and mullahs. Yet, the people of Iran, from all walks of life, are united against all forms of dictatorship and have not given up on their longing for freedom and democracy. The Iranian people have once more risen to achieve democracy and freedom. Supporting their uprising is at the core of our mission.
As a network of scholars, we aim to promote scholarship, integrity, objectivity, a strong knowledge base, and critical thinking as essential components in social and political discourse. Our commitment to scholarship resides in the pursuit of knowledge through research and analysis with integrity, requiring the honest, transparent, and accessible presentation of information. Our goals in objectivity is to acknowledge and remove bias by considering all sides of an issue. A strong knowledge base enables individuals to fully understand and engage in discussions, requiring critical thinking in evaluating information and arguments logically and thoughtfully. Together these elements are integral to the Network’s foundation of informed and productive discourse, leading to more inclusive and impactful decision-making and outcomes.
We are inspired by the legacy of Dr. Mohammad Mossadegh and his fight for Iran’s independence from foreign influence and by the pro-democracy movements that originated from Iranian universities. The Iranian higher education community has faced a brutal crackdown since the 1979 Revolution. Many students and professors have been arrested, tortured, or executed over the past four decades. Today, students and colleagues across Iranian universities are leading the revolution for freedom. This Network aims to amplify their voices abroad and pledge our unwavering support to them, the Iranian people, the women, the students and the educators who are at the forefront of this movement.
The Free Iran Scholars Network was formed in 2022 after a joint letter was sent to President Biden, which was widely covered by major media outlets such as CNN and others. The network was publicly announced on December 7, 2022, to coincide with Iran’s Student Day, marking the anniversary of the 1953 pro-democracy movement at Tehran University. Our work is all for a free Iran where people from all walks of life can exercise their rights and freedoms without fear of repression or discrimination.