Iran academic arrested on security charges, ‘foreign links’

TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — Iranian authorities have arrested a university professor on security charges and “suspicious foreign links.” The semiofficial Mehr news agency on Monday identified the professor as Saeed Madani, from Tehran’s government-run Allameh University. It didn’t say when and where he was detained. The report said the academic had met with allegedly suspicious foreign citizens and carried messages from them to local activists in Iran. Iran has in recent weeks intensified its crackdown on dissent, including with raids on activists. Over the weekend, a statement from award-wining filmmaker and others said authorities recently raided offices and homes of several filmmakers and other industry professionals, arresting some of them.