Iran alarmed by treatment of students at Russian university

The Iranian government expressed dismay on Saturday over reports that Iranian students were beaten by police at a university in the Russian city of Kazan. 

"Any kind of misbehavior with Iranian students is condemned and the responsible Russian authorties should be accountable," Iranian Ambassador to Russia Kazem Jalali wrote in a post published on X. Jalali said Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has been involved in handling the issue.  

What do we know about the alleged incident? 

The incident is believed to have occurred Friday, when foreign students, including Iranians, went to Kazan Federal University's visa extension center to renew their visas. A feud broke out among the students, with Russian authorities then arresting two Iranians.   

The Iranian Consulate General in Kazan has derided the "inhumane and unprofessional beating of the students by the police." 

The students were later released from Russian custody on Friday after the Iranian consulate intervened in the situation.

Iran's Jalali said the released students are in good physical condition aside from bruises. He added that an investigation will be launched into their mistreatment. 

Russian authorities in Kazan, meanwhile, said two foreign nationals were detained for "using violence against a representative of the authority."     

Neither the Russian Embassy to Iran nor Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has commented on the incident. 

Iran, Russia maintain close defense, economic ties 

The incident in Kazan is a possible setback for an otherwise strong relationship between Iran and Russia.

Russia and Iran have been growing closer as their ties with the West have frayed Image: Leonid Altman/Zoonar/picture alliance

Iran and Russia maintain close ties in areas such as defense and the economy.  

Iran has been supplying Russia with Shahed drones, which the Russian military then uses during the ongoing invasion of Ukraine. The drones, which fly at a low altitude, are frequently used to target Ukrainian civilian infrastructure, including residential buildings.   

The two countries are both supportive of multilateral groups such as the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and BRICS, which serve as opposition to a Western-backed global order. Iran has been criticized by Western countries, such as the United States, over its nuclear program and support for groups such as Hezbollah, whereas Russia is isolated from the West over its assault on Ukraine.  

The two countries also have an extensive trade relationship, with bilateral trade hitting some $4.9 billion (€4.7 billion) in 2023. 

Material from AFP news agency was used in the writing of this article.