IEEE Region 8 in a Persian Market

A description is given of the events associated with decisions and actions by IEEE to close the IEEE Iran Section and impose restrictions on IEEE members in Iran from 2000 onwards. Index Terms —IEEE Policy and Procedures, IEEE Member services, IEEE Regions, IEEE Sections, IEEE Student Branches. I. IEEE AND IRAN BEFORE THE OFAC [2] INFLUENCE The Iran Section of IEEE was founded in February 1970. The first visit to Iran by an IEEE President (Arthur Stern) took place in 1975. He wrote briefly about his visit in The Institute, October 1999, page 9. The visit was before the fall of the Shah of Iran in early 1979, and subsequent formation of the Islamic Republic after return to Iran of Ayatollah Khomeini. IEEE Region 8 (R8) Director Kurt Richter visited the Section in 1991. A second visit to Iran by an IEEE President took place on 20 th February, 1999, when Ken Laker, accompanied by R8 Director Rolf Remshardt, flew to Teheran from Frankfurt, by Iran Air. They had been invited by Iran students at a Student Branch Congress in Istanbul the previous year, and the visit was approved by the Iran Section Chair, Dr. Ghaffoori-Fard. An intensive programme of university visits, etc. was arranged, and reported in The Institute as ‘IEEE Officers find Iranian engineering students ready for 21 st century’ [4]. In this report is the statement “Laker agreed to an arrangement that will help make it easier for Iranian students to enjoy the benefits of IEEE” – giving no hint of what was to happen shortly after. By then, and continuing until IEEE ordered them to close down, the IEEE Student Branches in Iran were very active and successful. Their members were largely sympathetic to and understanding of the USA, and so by enforcing sanctions, USA was indirectly risking making the future situation worse rather than better. The University of Tehran IEEE Student Branch was the first in the Section, approved by IEEE HQ in April 1996, with Regional Activities Board ratification on 14 th February 1997. II. WHAT TRIGGERED THE CONCERNS IN IEEE ABOUT