Hossein Mousavian, former Iranian diplomat and currently a Princeton academic
A US-based group has called on the government and donors to suspend financial support for Princeton University due to its inaction against a controversial Iranian scholar it employs.
In a letter published on Thursday, the nonprofit advocacy group United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI) conveyed its deep concern to the president and board of trustees of Princeton regarding the university’s continued employment of Hossein Mousavian.
UANI described him as “an agent of the Iranian regime” who is currently employed as a Middle East and nuclear policy specialist at the university.
In a documentary to mark Qasem Soleimani’s second death anniversary aired by Iranian state TV earlier this month, Mousavian bragged about how Iran’s threat to avenge his killing frightened the wife of Brian Hook, Washington’s special envoy for Iran at the time.
UANI called on Princeton donors to terminate their support, and for all US government grants and contracts with the university to be suspended until it fires Mousavian.
Princeton’s continued employment of Mousavian “makes it impossible for the university to be a safe, welcome, and credible institution of learning for both its students and other employees”, UANI’s Mark D. Wallace said, adding that “no responsible person should support Princeton” while Mousavian remains on its payroll.
Mousavian, who traveled to Iran to attend Soleimani’s funeral service, was Tehran’s ambassador to Germany when four Iranian dissidents were assassinated at a Berlin restaurant in 1992.