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Professor in lengthy trial over Iranian scientists’ visits

A former tenured professor who invited four Iranian scientists to work at his university in Trondheim in Norway is currently on trial for a string of charges including violation of the new regulations on the export of scientific knowledge and a breach of the Iran sanctions.

The trial, which started in the Oslo District Court on 5 September 2022, is expected to last 25 days.

The scientist, who worked at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) at the time and is now based in Qatar, has pleaded not guilty to all charges. He faces up to 10 years in prison.

The scientist was suspended, along with a colleague, in January 2020 after an investigation by the Norwegian Police Security Service (PST). At the time, both scientists were tenured staff members at NTNU. The charges against the second scientist were subsequently dropped.

Scanning electron microscope

The former NTNU professor, who is of German and Iranian descent, is accused of inviting four Iranian citizens as guest academics to NTNU during the course of 2018 and 2019 without the consent of the university and giving them access to university facilities, which included a scanning electron microscope (SEM), without applying for the necessary licence from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The microscope features on a list of instruments that are prohibited from being exported to Iran due to international sanctions. It is also illegal to give Iranian citizens instructions on how to use the microscope.

According to Khrono, the indictment contains charges of violating the export control regulations, violating the laws governing scientific collaboration with Iran, and a charge of breaking into the data system and extracting data from the computer at the institution’s nanoscience laboratory.

According to court records, the four Iranian scientists visited NTNU for different time periods. It is alleged that they used the SEM to analyse aluminium, zircon and nickel alloys. All of these materials require a licence from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs before they can be exported to other countries.

In addition to not applying for a permit for the researchers to use the SEM, it is alleged that the accused provided instructions for the guest researchers, in violation of the law.

The professor is also accused of participating in the installation of software on the computer in the nano-mechanical laboratory, which made it possible to upload information stored in the computer via the internet.

Basic or applied science

The court will examine how much the professor knew about the activities of the guest lecturers and whether the science involved was of a basic or applied nature. While applied research demands an export licence, basic research is not included in the law.

In an opening statement, State Prosecutor Frederik Ranke described the case as a complicated one that will require a significant amount of time.

“The serious issue here is that knowledge is transferred to people from Iran,” Ranke said. “This is knowledge that might be relevant for the atomic programme of Iran. We do not claim that it was used, but there is a serious danger potential here,” he said.

The accused told the court he was not a religious person. “I am for freedom of speech and gender equality. I am against the regime in Iran. I do not in any way want to support the Iranian atomic programme or the military. Since 2002 I have only visited Iran three times.”

Speaking to NTNU newspaper Universitetsavisa, defence lawyer Brynjulf Risnes said that he was critical of the way NTNU had handled the case.

Scapegoating claims

“My client is being used as a scapegoat. If the court finds that something criminal has happened, the NTNU should be given a company fine,” he said.

Asked by Universitetsavisa if it was in dispute that his client had given the four guest researchers access to the nano-lab, Risnes said: “What is disputed is whether or not he had informed his supervisors about this.

“We are going to show email correspondence he had with his supervisors. People have walked in and out of this laboratory daily, without those responsible having any oversight. Then it is rather ugly to put the blame on a single professor.

“I sincerely hope that my client will be acquitted on all counts, otherwise this will be a crisis for the academic world. The leadership at NTNU has … completely failed their former employee,” Risnes is quoted as saying.