Norway expelled a 36-year-old Iranian student studying space technology earlier this month amid fears his studies may be used to contribute to the Iranian missile program, according to reports Tuesday in the Norwegian media.
The building of the Narvik University College.
The student studied Norwegian language and culture last year and, according to the reports, was due to begin a master's program in space technology at Narvik University College in Narvik, a town some 1,400 km north of Oslo.
Jorn Preserudstuen, police inspector for the Norwegian Police Security Service (PST), told the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation that history has shown a connection between a space program and missile development. He said that the fear was that what the student would learn at Narvik would then be used to develop missiles.
The Norwegian immigration authorities decided not to renew the Iranian student's residence permit, and he left the country two weeks ago after having been ordered to do so within 12 days.
According to the media reports, this was the first time Norway has taken this type of action against a foreign student. UN Security Council Resolution 1737, passed in December 2006, bans the supply of nuclear-related technology and materials to Iran until it stops uranium enrichment.
The Canadian parliament, meanwhile unanimously passed a resolution Tuesday backed by each of the country's four parties condemning the Iranian regime's violation of human rights and its nuclear program.
The resolution called for "a new set of targeted sanctions [to] be implemented against Iran, in concert with allies, unless it comes into compliance with its human rights and nuclear obligations in law and in practice."
The resolution also "condemned the use of violence and force by the Iranian authorities against their own people to suppress pro-democracy demonstrations following the Iranian presidential elections of June 12, 2009."
