At Columbia University, students applauded him. In Tehran, they protested against him. Maybe those Columbia students should consider a transfer to an Iranian university; I’m sure the Iranian government would welcome them.
By David Blair in the Telegraph (thanks to all who sent this in):
To chants of “death to the dictator”, hundreds of Iranian students have mounted a vociferous protest against President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.
The demonstration at Teheran University, where the president gave a speech opening the academic year, drove home the depth of his domestic unpopularity.
Despite high oil prices, Iran suffers persistent unemployment and rising inflation, which many blame on Mr Ahmadinejad’s economic policies.
Hundreds of thousands of Iranian students graduate every year and many are left jobless. Hence the president is deeply unpopular on many campuses.
After winning office in 2005, Mr Ahmadinejad conducted a purge of Teheran University, sacking liberal reformers on the academic staff. The president infuriated many students by installing a hardline cleric, Ayatollah Amid Zanjani, as the university’s chancellor.
Ayatollah Zanjani, who does not hold any secular academic qualifications, is the first cleric to hold this position.
Before Mr Ahmadinejad’s appearance on the campus yesterday, hundreds of students gathered.
Some were supporters of the government, who chanted “revolutionary president, we support you”. Others were opponents of Mr Ahmadinejad, who shouted “death to the dictator” and “fascist president, the university is no place for you”.