On January 24, 2026, the Dean of Emory University’s School of Medicine announced that Fatemeh Ardeshir-Larijani, an assistant professor of hematology and medical oncology, was no longer employed at the university, apparently because of her familial relationship with top Iranian officials.
Ardeshir-Larijani, whose research focuses on lung cancer, is the daughter of Ali Larijani, the head of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council. Her brothers have also held high-level positions within Iran’s government. Her dismissal came amid nationwide protests in Iran, to which the Iranian government responded violently, killing thousands.
On January 19, protesters gathered outside of Emory’s Winship Cancer Institute, where Ardeshir-Larijani worked, to demand that Emory dismiss her. On January 22, US Representative Buddy Carter wrote to Emory and the Georgia Composite Medical Board, also demanding Ardeshir-Larijani’s dismissal. Carter wrote, the Iranian “regime is designated by the United States as a state sponsor of terrorism responsible for the killing, imprisonment, and brutal repression of thousands of civilians. Her father has recently and publicly advocated violence against Americans and U.S. allies.” He contended, without offering any evidence beyond the family connection, that Dr. Ardeshir-Larijani posed a threat to patients and national security On January 24, Emory announced Ardeshir-Larijani’s dismissal, writing to news agencies, “A physician who is the daughter of a senior Iranian government official is no longer an employee of Emory.” The university provided no further explanation, noting that the decision was a “personnel issue.”
Scholars at Risk is concerned by the apparent dismissal of a faculty member without cause, and in apparent response to external political pressures based on the faculty member’s familial ties. University authorities have an obligation to ensure that faculty employment decisions are based on academic and professional considerations and free from outside pressure. Failure to meet this obligation undermines academic freedom, university autonomy, and democratic society generally.
Sources:
https://www.emorywheel.com/article/2026/01/emory-no-longer-employs-daughter-of-top-iranian-official
https://iranwire.com/en/news/148107-larijanis-daughter-expelled-from-emory-university-in-georgia/
https://www.cbsnews.com/atlanta/news/emory-says-physician-tied-to-iranian-official-no-longer-employed-after-protest/
https://www.iranintl.com/en/202601245480
https://buddycarter.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=16273