Land Grabbing in the Style of Azad University

The transfer of 3,162 hectares of national resources and approximately 15 million square meters of urban land across the country to Azad Islamic University without observing legal standards, at minimal or no cost; while university officials have completely prevented regulatory bodies from overseeing how these lands are utilized and ensuring compliance with legal standards and agreements.

An interesting point regarding Azad University’s land grabbing is the acknowledgment by the university’s own officials about this issue. Mohsen Hashemi Rafsanjani, Deputy for Civil Affairs at Azad University, referring to the legal problems of this university, stated: One of the most significant problems is that half of the university’s lands lack proper documentation, which requires a special program to determine their status. Now, what special program these gentlemen have for documentation in this regard is something that had to be waited for and seen.

A glimpse of this violation of public rights by Azad Islamic University is as follows:

1- In 2002, 5,000 hectares of land equivalent to 50 million square meters, which is the size of a small city by itself, was transferred completely free of charge by the Natural Resources Department of Jiroft in Kerman Province to Azad Islamic University.

2- In 1994, more than five hectares of land was transferred completely free of charge by the Urban Land Department of Jiroft to Azad Islamic University, but unfortunately, according to existing documents, the university forcibly encroached upon adjacent properties of the gifted lands.

3- In recent years, 70 hectares of land in Gilan Province were given free of charge by the Ministry of Jihad Agriculture to Azad Islamic University.

4- In recent years, at different times in Tehran Province, more than 100 hectares of land was given free of charge by the Ministry of Jihad Agriculture to Azad Islamic University. This is while according to Article 34 of the law, “transfer of national and state resource lands is prohibited.”

5- Azad Islamic University in Babol received two plots of land totaling 40 hectares with a 50% discount from the Ministry of Jihad Agriculture. Interestingly, this university did not deposit the promised amount for payment into the government account, yet these two lands were definitively transferred to the university by the mentioned ministry. This is while in Note 4 of Article 34 of the law on the transfer of national and state resource lands, it is explicitly stated that lands in Gilan, Mazandaran, Golestan, and Tehran provinces are not subject to discounts.

6- The Ministry of Jihad Agriculture leased 50 hectares of land in Tehran and Qom to the university in Tehran Province, but Azad Islamic University did not fulfill its obligation and did not pay rent to the government.

7- The president of Azad University not only took the land from public property, but could also increase the level of that land, meaning he converted agricultural land into residential land, leading to an increase in the price of the land. Upon reviewing complaints received from people in the north, it was concluded that northern residents’ land was placed at the disposal of Azad University, but no university was built.

Azad University’s Heavy Responsibility in Violating the Rights of a Million People

17 years ago, Azad University and the Contractual Pensions Organization signed an agreement that land measuring 2,000 square meters belonging to retirees would be transferred in exchange for fulfilling certain commitments by Azad University, but while Azad University did not fulfill any of its commitments, the mentioned properties were later transferred to the Khadijah al-Kubra Foundation, whose founding board included Jasbi, the president of Azad University, and his wife and her brother, and these two properties were removed from the custody of the Pensions Organization.

How Did Azad University Become the Owner of 2 Million Square Meters of Land?

Mr. Hadavi, for charitable purposes, transferred part of his inherited lands to Azad University. Therefore, he gifted more than 2 million square meters to Azad University during a conversation with Jasbi and kept 140,000 square meters for his family. Following this action by the Hadavi family, Azad University, under the pretext of obtaining a bank loan, requested transfer of the deed, and after signing an agreement and taking control of the land, university officials began the most heinous acts of usurping the remaining lands.

On September 2, 1997, an official expert went to investigate Hadavi’s complaint against Azad University and wrote in his report that Azad University had occupied 6,989.7 square meters of Hadavi’s lands. After various expert visits, a final verdict was issued regarding Azad University’s trespass. However, the court stated that the verdict was the same as the previous verdict issued due to the minutes of the three branches’ leaders’ meeting in 1988, while investigations showed that the intent was the minutes of the Article 5 Commission of the Municipality.

Qalibaf, the police commander at that time, said about this: “When I heard that people were being beaten on these lands, I told the local police station commander to investigate this matter, but he said there was no news. Therefore, I went myself to see what was happening, and in the meantime, the judiciary called asking where are you going? You have no right to go! But I went and saw that these things were happening, people were being beaten, and after investigation, I found that the police station commander there had taken bribes of 2 villas.”

Jasbi, regarding his ownership of the above registered plots, in many cases used the names and titles of high-ranking officials of the system, particularly the Leader.

In 1994, Mr. Hashemi Rafsanjani, at the opening ceremony of the Science and Research Unit, personally thanked Mr. Hadavi for his generosity in transferring these lands to Azad Islamic University. One of the factors that has caused judges to always feel afraid when issuing verdicts against Azad Islamic University is a matter that the senior management of Azad Islamic University has attributed to the Supreme Leader. The senior management of Azad Islamic University repeatedly declared in legal proceedings that Azad Islamic University is managed by the Board of Trustees headed by the Supreme Leader.

This is while the Leader of the Revolution in 1999 (approximately 4 years before Azad University’s legal proceedings) in a public meeting with managers responsible for student publications on February 24, 2000, which was also published in mass media, regarding the participation of His Eminence in managing Azad Islamic University, said:

“When you say I am a member of the founding board and the board of trustees, no, but from the beginning, out of reverence, they put my name in the board of trustees! I honestly don’t remember whether I attended one or two meetings of the board of trustees from the beginning, therefore I have no involvement in policy-making there… Doctor Jasbi also comes and goes here sometimes, but if we say anything to him regarding the university, they are suggestions that we give to him. For example, complaints that are made are reminded to him through the office. I have no involvement in the university’s affairs.”

There is much to contemplate and think deeply about these statements. How can the head of government be merely a nominal member of the board of trustees of a wealthy and prestigious organization like Azad Islamic University!!!!!!!!!!!

Betrayal and lies are endless in this group. Pollution of most cities in my homeland, cardboard homes spreading daily in major cities, major and obvious thefts, innocent deprived illegitimate children, unemployment, land subsidence, consecutive droughts, and… These are serious warning bells….. Why haven’t we awakened and don’t see…. Perhaps this pollution and disbelief have prevented our sight and thought!!!!!!!!!!!

O God, make the end of this affair Such that You are pleased and we are saved