According to the Public Relations Office of the Organization of Student Affairs, a joint meeting was held between the Organization of Student Affairs and the Immigration and Passport Police. The session was attended by Dr. Saeid Habiba, Iran’s Deputy Minister of Science, Research, and Technology and the Head of the Organization of Student Affairs; Colonel Nodehi, the Head of the Immigration and Passport Police; Dr. Abbas Ghanbari Baghestan, the Deputy for Scholarships and International Student Affairs; Dr. Jafari, the Director General of International Student Affairs; Dr. Salehi, Director General of the Office for Technology Development, Security, and Smartening; and other prominant officials.
Dr. Abbas Ghanbari Baghestan, the Deputy for Scholarships and International Student Affairs, elaborated on the details of this joint session, stating: "Following recent developments and the specific conditions resulting from the aggressions of the United States and the Zionist regime against our country, which led to the temporary departure of non-Iranian students and the temporary transition of some university classes to virtual platforms, concerns regarding the residency status of these students arose that required inter-agency coordination."
He added: "Due to the lack of physical presence of students in Iran over the past months, the legal residency or visa status for some had expired. Under current regulations, this situation would typically entail financial penalties and administrative obstacles for issuing re-entry permits."
Full Penalty Waivers for a Six-Month Period
The Deputy for Scholarships and International Student Affairs clarified: "Following extensive follow-ups and the special cooperation of the Immigration and Passport Police, it was decided that all residency-related penalties for non-Iranian students—accrued during the six-month period (from early January to mid-August)—will be subject to a full waiver."
Emphasizing the removal of transit barriers for these students, Dr. Ghanbari Baghestan noted: "With the decisions made during this meeting, the process for renewing residency, issuing visas, and registering entry/exit stamps for international students has been streamlined. These students will face no legal or administrative obstacles upon returning to continue their studies at Iran's universities."
Integration of International Student-Related Processes Nationwide
In another part of his statement, he referred to reports received from universities regarding inconsistencies at certain ports of entry or in border provinces. He stated: "Given the reports from universities regarding discrepancies in the implementation of regulations by provincial centers, it was decided in this meeting that this issue will be jointly addressed by the Organization of Student Affairs and the Central Passport Police Command, and a unified directive will be communicated to all provinces."
Dr. Ghanbari Baghestan concluded: "It is hoped that with the follow-up and implementation of these decisions, the issues faced by international students, particularly in border provinces and at entry points, will be resolved."