Iranian scientists working in the United States are confronting significant upheaval as pressures from the continuing US-Iran conflict mount. Early-career researchers are enduring frozen immigration statuses, employment uncertainty, and the distress of having families caught in the war. According to Open Doors, an annual report by the Institute of International Education, nearly 12,000 Iranian postgraduate students were training in the United States during the 2024–25 academic year. Many of these individuals are now using pseudonyms when speaking to the press due to fears for their safety and potential career repercussions from both governments.
The situation has been exacerbated by a series of violent events and policy shifts. In June 2025, Israel bombed nuclear and military facilities in Iran, leading to retaliatory attacks and a conflict known as the 12-day war, which also involved US strikes on Iranian nuclear sites. Subsequent economic crises and government crackdowns in Iran resulted in an estimated 30,000 deaths during protests, while a separate conflict over nuclear weapons in February 2026 has reportedly killed around 20,000 people across all nations involved. Additionally, the Iranian government shut off the country's internet for nearly three months between February and May, preventing researchers abroad from consistently communicating with their loved ones.
US immigration policy changes have further destabilized the lives of these researchers. In June 2025, the administration of President Donald Trump issued a travel ban barring entry to people from 12 countries, including Iran, citing its status as a state sponsor of terrorism. This was followed by executive agency memos in December 2025 and January 2026 that expanded the ban to 39 countries and effectively froze the processing of all applications for student visas, permanent residency, and work authorization. The federal government neither approved nor denied these applications until June 2026, leaving many researchers in a bureaucratic limbo with no clarity on their future career pathways.
The human cost of these policies is evident in individual cases. Nima, a PhD student who traveled to Iran in May 2025 to visit his ill mother, was unable to return to the US after the June travel ban rendered his expired visa invalid. Unable to re-enter the country, he resigned from his program in August and has since struggled with mental health issues, describing the trip as the worst decision of his life. Similarly, Azin, who earned her PhD in December 2025, lost job offers and a postdoc opportunity because her Optional Practical Training application was frozen by the government pause. She spent six months traveling between states without a permanent home or income.
Experts suggest these policies are part of a broader effort to reduce immigration. Kevan Harris, a sociologist at the University of California, Los Angeles, noted that the increased burden on individuals often leads them to leave the country entirely. While researchers hope to raise awareness within the academic community, many fear repercussions for sharing their stories. A spokesperson for the US Department of State defended the measures, stating they were issued to protect national security and public safety, emphasizing that a visa is a privilege rather than a right.
Sources: Nature.