Ahmadinejad slams push for Islamic life

TEHRAN – Agence France-Presse

Iranian girls studying outside a school complex in Tehran. The president has spoken out against the use of pressure to impose Islamic values. DHA photo

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has spoken out against the use of pressure to impose Islamic values on people, especially university candidates, media reported.

“You cannot impose things by issuing decrees and directives, a choice imposed by force has no value whatsoever,” Ahmadinejad said in a speech on Dec. 30.

“In some universities, female students are forced to wear the chador [covering the whole body, leaving only the face exposed], but the way they are forced to wear it ... it is better not worn since it becomes worthless,” he said. He also criticized criteria on the selection of university candidates, citing the case of a student denied university admittance in the 1980s because he had shaved.

Ahmadinejad also mentioned another case of a girl refused a university place because she had “talked to a boy in the street and had her headscarf back an inch,” thereby showing her hair. He said that after he intervened in both cases they were granted places.

Ahmadinejad also denounced some of the questions posed to candidates during interviews for government jobs.

“We have asked people if they drank alcohol or have illicit sexual relations. This is an insult and goes against religion.”