Students protesting at Shiraz University (June 2009)

This morning ETS published an update regarding the initial suspension of TOEFL & GRE registration in Iran. As a result of restrictions on financial transactions involving Iran, students were unable to register for exams required to pursue education outside of Iran. Though registration has been re-instated, Iranian students who want to register for the tests must still use credit & debit cards from banking institutions that are not prohibited by the UN or US. These round of restrictions hit at students wanting to study abroad, and moreover, were badly aimed at Iran’s green shoots taking root. Was the risk of alienating Iran’s brightest and most motivated really the best way to attempt to influence policy change? Read the ETS statement: http://www.ets.org/toefl/important_update/