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Iran has denounced Oxford University after a college set up a scholarship in honour of Neda Agha-Soltan, who was shot dead during a protest after the country's disputed election.
The regime accused the university in a letter of joining a "politically motivated" campaign that would "undermine your scientific credibility".
In the letter to Oxford sent from the Iranian Embassy in London, the regime said the death in June of Agha-Soltan was staged by its enemies.
It said the scholarship would "make Oxford at odd [sic] with the rest of the world's academic institutions", according to The Times.
The graduate scholarship, worth about £4,000 over two years, is offered to philosophy students.
In response, the university said the scholarship was entirely a matter for Queen's College. Provost of Queen's, Paul Madden, said the scholarship would help impoverished Iranians to study at Oxford.
Agha-Soltan, a philosophy student, emerged as an emblem of the political uprising in Iran after her death during the protest in Tehran against the disputed re-election of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.
Amateur videos of her bleeding to death posted on the internet and broadcast across the world triggered an outcry over Iranian authorities' clampdown on the anti-Ahmadinejad protests.
Iranian police have claimed that the 26-year-old student's death was staged. Mr Ahmadinejad has called for an inquiry into her death, saying there had been fabricated reports about the incident and "widespread propaganda" by the foreign media.
Diplomatic ties between Britain and Iran, previously tense, have deteriorated since the election.
Reader views (6)
Would this be the same Iran that is behind the Palestinian groups that call for an academic boycott in this country of Israel?
- Adam, Harrow, UK, 11/11/2009 23:24
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@ Bob, Cheam
Yes I know Bob, all the more reason to find a renewable clean energy source sooner than later.
- Frank, Home Counties, England., 11/11/2009 17:02
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"Ahmadinejad has called for an inquiry into her death"
Why waste all that money on an investigation? Just publish the pre-existing results exonerating the Iranian government, that bastion of democracy, and blaming everything on Britain, America and Israel and be done with it. In fact why bother at all when everyone already knows the result of the "extensive investigation" they'd manufacture.
- Rogan, Irving, 11/11/2009 16:34
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Frank, they have a certain black fluid we've illegally invaded countries for.
- Bob, Cheam, 11/11/2009 14:55
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well said frank
- Terry Chambers, London, 11/11/2009 12:50
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Why do we even bother with the pretence of Diplomatic relations? Pull our people out and cut of all ties with that disgusting regime.
- Frank, Home Counties, England., 11/11/2009 12:07
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