Emory University has removed Fatemeh Ardeshir-Larijani from her role as an assistant professor in hematology and medical oncology after a Jan. 19 protest opposed her hiring. The School of Medicine dean informed staff on Jan. 24 that she was no longer employed and her Emory webpages were taken down. Advocacy group AAIRIA and Rep. Buddy Carter urged reviews of her immigration status and medical credentials amid broader U.S.-Iran tensions, and the move followed U.S. sanctions on her father, Ali Larijani.
Emory Removes Iranian Official’s Daughter From Faculty After Campus Protests
Ali Larijani, a senior Iranian official and former parliamentary speaker, arrives in Beirut, Lebanon, on Sept. 27, 2025, to attend a memorial service for Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah.(Getty Images)
Emory University has terminated the employment of Fatemeh Ardeshir-Larijani, an assistant professor in the Department of Hematology and Medical Oncology, following campus protests objecting to her hiring, university and media reports say.
What Happened
According to Emory’s student newspaper, the Emory Wheel, the School of Medicine dean notified staff by email on Jan. 24 that Ardeshir-Larijani was no longer employed by the university. The decision came after a Jan. 19 demonstration in which Iranian-American protesters gathered outside Emory’s Winship Cancer Institute to oppose her appointment. After the university’s action, her faculty and clinician profile pages on Emory’s websites were removed from public view.
Context And Responses
Pressure around the hire intensified amid broader tensions between the United States and Iran following protests inside Iran that began Dec. 28 and a heavy government crackdown. In early January, then-President Donald Trump posted on Truth Social that if Iran "violently kills peaceful protesters" the United States "will come to their rescue" and said the U.S. was "locked and loaded and ready to go." Senior Iranian figures responded that U.S. interference would risk destabilizing the region.
Larijani's daughter has reportedly been relieved of her teaching job at Emory University.
The nonprofit Alliance Against Islamic Regime of Iran Apologists (AAIRIA) urged U.S. authorities to review the immigration and visa status of Ardeshir-Larijani and her husband, saying officials should determine whether their continued residence in the U.S. complies with law and national-security considerations. Republican Rep. Buddy Carter (R-Ga.) also called on Emory to dismiss Ardeshir-Larijani and urged the Georgia medical board to consider revoking her license.
Sanctions And Ongoing Questions
Her dismissal occurred roughly two weeks after the U.S. Treasury Department announced sanctions on her father, Ali Larijani, saying he "is responsible for coordinating the response to the protests on behalf of the Supreme Leader of Iran and has publicly called for Iranian security forces to use force to repress peaceful protesters." Critics have in the past pointed to what they describe as a pattern of relatives of Iranian officials living or working in Western countries.
Fox News Digital reported that it reached out to the White House, the Department of Homeland Security and Emory University for comment; the outlet did not include responses in its reporting.
Note: This report summarizes available public accounts. Emory University and other agencies were contacted for comment in original reporting.
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