The daughter of a powerful Iranian regime insider who was forced out of Emory University after a firestorm of backlash is set to be booted from the United States completely.<\/p>\n
The daughter of a powerful Iranian regime insider. Fatemeh Ardeshir-Larijani<\/p>\n
Dr. Fatemeh Ardeshir-Larijani, whose father is a top official in Tehran, was removed from her post at the prestigious Atlanta school following mounting outrage over her family\u2019s ties to the regime, as first reported by the Post<\/a>.<\/p>\n She worked as an assistant professor at Emory University\u2019s prestigious Winship Cancer Institute in Atlanta. <\/p>\n The controversy surrounding Ardeshir-Larijani sparked backlash from critics who questioned how someone so closely linked to Iran\u2019s ruling elite had secured a position at a leading American research institution.<\/p>\n Carter also warned that her continued presence posed a national security risk. AP<\/p>\n The controversy quickly drew the attention of lawmakers, including Rep. Buddy Carter, who in a formal letter demanded her removal<\/a> and argued US institutions must not serve as a \u201csafe harbor\u201d for individuals tied to hostile regimes, according to his office.<\/p>\n Carter also warned that her continued presence posed a national security risk.<\/p>\n The pressure campaign ultimately succeeded, but the fallout didn\u2019t stop there.<\/p>\n She and her husband, Seyed Kalantar Motamedi, are no longer in the country and have been barred from reentry. POOL\/AFP via Getty Images<\/p>\n Ardeshir-Larijani\u2019s legal status in the US was terminated earlier this month, part of a broader effort targeting foreign nationals with ties to Iran\u2019s leadership and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), which the US designates as a terrorist organization, the US State Department<\/a> confirmed. <\/p>\n She and her husband, Seyed Kalantar Motamedi, are no longer in the country and have been barred from reentry.<\/p>\n The case underscores a widening crackdown on foreign nationals with ties to Iran\u2019s ruling elite. Hamideafshar\/Instagram<\/p>\n Officials said both were removed as part of a hardline crackdown on individuals linked to anti-American regimes.<\/p>\n The case underscores a widening crackdown on foreign nationals with ties to Iran\u2019s ruling elite, even those embedded in elite American institutions, with officials emphasizing that the US will not allow individuals who support or are connected to anti-American terrorist regimes to remain in the country.<\/p>\n The Winship Cancer Institute is one of the university\u2019s flagship medical research centers, known for cutting-edge cancer treatment and academic prestige.<\/p>\n Her exit highlights the increasing sensitivity around foreign ties in American academia, particularly when linked to governments viewed as adversarial to the U.S. It also underscores the reputational risks universities face when employing individuals connected to controversial regimes \u2014 even when those individuals are accomplished professionals in their own right.<\/p>\n