Cambridge University Press Investigates Alleged Forgery by Pro-Khamenei Professor

Cambridge University Press and the University of Cambridge are investigating Shirin Saidi, an Iranian-American professor recently dismissed from the University of Arkansas, for alleged academic misconduct. The inquiry focuses on claims that her book, based on her doctoral dissertation, contains fabricated interviews with women who were victims of the Iranian government. Prominent former political prisoners, including Maryam Nouri and Nasrin Parvaz, have publicly denied ever meeting or being interviewed by Saidi, accusing her of plagiarizing their memoirs without permission. Additionally, Ladan Bazargan, director of the Coalition Against Supporters of the Islamic Republic of Iran, highlighted discrepancies in Saidi’s sources and criticized her defense of Hamid Noury, a convict involved in the 1988 mass executions. Saidi was previously removed from her position at the University of Arkansas for activities supporting the late Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and for misusing university letterhead. The investigations follow strict ethical guidelines set by the Committee on Publication Ethics, raising serious questions about the validity of her scholarly work and the oversight provided by her doctoral advisor.