The daughter of a senior Iranian official who publicly criticized former US President Donald Trump and warned against American involvement in Iran’s protests has been dismissed from her teaching position at a leading US university.
According to The Emory Wheel, Emory University’s student newspaper, the School of Medicine dean announced in an internal email dated January 24 that Fatemeh Ardeshir-Larijani was no longer an employee of the university.
Ardeshir-Larijani had been serving as an assistant professor in the Department of Hematology and Medical Oncology at Emory University’s School of Medicine.
“The announcement follows a January 19 protest where Iranian-American demonstrators gathered outside Emory’s Winship Cancer Institute to oppose the employment of Fatemeh Ardeshir-Larijani by the University,” The Emory Wheel reported.
After the announcement, Ardeshir-Larijani’s faculty profile and Emory Healthcare pages were no longer accessible online.
The controversy comes amid rising tensions between the United States and Iran following protests in Iran and reports of deaths during a government crackdown that began in late December.
In a January 2 post on Truth Social, President Donald Trump warned Iran against the violent suppression of protesters.
“If Iran violently kills peaceful protesters, the United States of America will come to their rescue,” Trump wrote. “We are locked and loaded and ready to go.”
Trump’s remarks drew sharp reactions from senior Iranian officials, including Ali Larijani, Ardeshir-Larijani’s father, who warned against US interference.
“The American people must know that Trump is the one who started this adventure,” Ali Larijani wrote on X. “Any US interference will destabilize the entire region and destroy American interests. They should pay attention to the safety of their soldiers.”
A US-based advocacy group, the Alliance Against Islamic Regime of Iran Apologists (AAIRIA), said Ardeshir-Larijani had lived and worked in the United States for several years. The group urged US authorities to review her immigration status.
In a statement, AAIRIA said officials should determine whether her continued residence in the US “aligns with US law, national security considerations, and principles of accountability and human rights.”
Georgia Congressman Buddy Carter also called on Emory University to dismiss Ardeshir-Larijani and urged the state medical board to revoke her medical license.
Her dismissal came about two weeks after the US Treasury Department imposed sanctions on her father. In a statement, the Treasury said Ali Larijani “is responsible for coordinating the response to the protests on behalf of the Supreme Leader of Iran and has publicly called for security forces to use force to repress peaceful protesters.”
Ali Larijani has previously portrayed the United States as a hostile power. Past media reports have highlighted criticism of Iranian officials whose relatives live or work in Western countries.
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