The Free Iran Scholars Network (FISN) mourns with deep sorrow the passing of the distinguished academic, committed intellectual, and steadfast advocate of freedom, Dr. Mohammad Ali Sheikhi, a lasting figure who united scholarship, academic integrity, and political responsibility during some of the most critical chapters of Iran’s contemporary history.
Born in Tehran in 1946, Dr. Sheikhi was a respected professor of mining and metallurgy engineering and a prominent member of the University of Tehran’s Faculty of Engineering Council from the early days of the anti-monarchic revolution until June 20, 1981. During this period, he played a vital role in defending academic freedom, university autonomy, and the rights of students and faculty.
Dr. Sheikhi earned his Ph.D. in Industrial Metallurgy in May 1978 and returned to Iran amid the revolutionary movement. He was among the leading academic voices resisting repression and the closure of universities under Khomeini’s rule. As state repression intensified, he was forced into underground life and later into exile, yet he never wavered in his commitment to freedom, justice, and the Iranian people’s right to self-determination.
He was a founding member of the Association of Committed University and Higher Education Professors and an early member of the National Council of Resistance of Iran, where he was the Chair of NCRI’s Committee on Universities. For more than four decades, Dr. Sheikhi remained a principled and active member of the Iranian Resistance, representing a rare and enduring asset to Iran’s academic community and its freedom-seeking movement.
FISN extends its heartfelt condolences to Iran’s academic and scholarly community, to Dr. Sheikhi’s colleagues and comrades in the Resistance, and to his beloved family.
May his memory endure, his path inspire future generations, and his legacy of knowledge, courage, and integrity remain honored. 🌹