TEHRAN – Two Iranian students detained during an incident at Kazan Federal University have been released, the Iranian Consulate General in Kazan confirmed. 

Consul General Davoud Mirzakhani announced their release late Friday night following consular intervention. The students were detained at the university's visa center after an incident on November 22nd.

According to a Friday statement, the incident began when students from several countries, including Iran, were renewing visas. A dispute among students triggered a security alarm, leading to police intervention and excessive force resulting in the arrest of the two Iranian students.

In response, the Iranian consulate immediately dispatched a representative to the detention facility to assess the well-being of the detained Iranian students. 

Furthermore, the consulate lodged a formal complaint with the Russian Federation's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, protesting the alleged police brutality and highlighting the inappropriate conduct of local law enforcement. The consulate also worked to provide accurate information and context regarding the incident to the relevant authorities.

Consul General Mirzakhani also met with Kazan Federal University Vice President for International Affairs, Timur Alishev, expressing concern over the students' treatment and highlighting insufficient university resources and visa processing challenges as contributing factors to the incident. He urged improvements to the visa extension department. Alishev acknowledged these concerns and pledged to create two new centers within the Visa Center to improve student services.

*****CAPTION: Iranian diplomats and students in meeting with Kazan Federal University Vice President for International Affairs Timur Alishev following Friday's clash at the university’s visa center.