TEHRAN -- Three gender-specific universities in Iran have expressed readiness to enroll hundreds of Afghan women after the Taliban barred female students from attending private and public universities in Afghanistan.

Iranian Deputy Science Minister for International Affairs Vahid Haddadi Asl announced that three female-only academic centers in Iran, namely Alzahra University of Tehran, Kosar University of Bojnurd, and Hazrat Masoumeh University of Qom, will accept Afghan female students as long as they are deprived of education in their country.

The Alzahra University is ready to enroll up to 50 Afghan girls, but the quota will be increased if more dormitories become available, he added.

Haddadi Asl also noted that Hazrat Masoumeh University of Qom is prepared to accept at least 300 female Afghan students, both in offline and online courses.

The Taliban-run higher education

ministry announced in December 2022 that female students would not be allowed access to the country’s universities until further notice.
“You all are informed to immediately implement the mentioned order of suspending the education of females until further notice,” said a letter issued to all government and private universities, signed by the Minister for Higher Education, Neda Muhammad Nadeem.
UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric has described the move as “troubling”.