3 Ways a Thaw in U.S.- Iran Relations Could Affect American Colleges
The nuclear accord announced on Tuesday among Iran, the United States, and five other countries faces political hurdles before becoming a done deal. But the possibility of a warmer relationship between America and Iran after more than 30 years of animosity will very likely benefit fledgling efforts to develop links in higher education. Several factors fuel hopes for an academic détente between the United States and Iran. Before the Iranian revolution, in 1979, universities in the two countries had deep ties — the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, for example, had helped build one of Iran’s top research universities, and Iran was sending more students to America than any other country (more than 50,000 in 1979).