迪肯大学和斯威本大学以应对联邦政府制裁为由，停止接受伊朗学生申请攻读硕士和博士学位[1]。联邦政府上月更新建议要求大学加强审查相关申请[1]，违反制裁规定的罚款可达364万澳元[1]。然而，澳大利亚制裁办公室明确指出"不认为对所有此类人员的全面限制是唯一的风险缓解方式"[1]，暗示全面禁止并非必需之举。
这一政策引发当地伊朗学者的强烈反对。墨尔本大学政治学研究员塞菲纳吉表示："伊朗学生是澳大利亚国际学生中最勤奋、最优秀的。我认为这不公平"[1]。批评者认为，两所大学的举措过于保守，不公平地阻止学生从事医学、食品科学等领域的研究[1]。与此同时，其他澳大利亚大学采取了更为灵活的应对方式：蒙纳什大学曾暂停处理伊朗申请，后已解除暂停[1]，皇家理工大学则采用逐案评估方式[1]。
Deakin University and Swinburne University have halted applications from Iranian students seeking postgraduate research degrees, citing compliance with federal government sanctions as their justification [1]. The restrictions apply to both master's and doctoral programs [1].
The decision has drawn criticism from local Iranian scholars who view the approach as overly cautious and unfairly obstructive to students pursuing research in fields such as medicine and food science [1]. Afsaneh Seifinaji, a political science researcher at the University of Melbourne, expressed concern about the impact, stating: "Iranian students are among the most hardworking and excellent international students in Australia. I think this is unfair" [1]. The federal government updated its guidance last month to require universities to strengthen their screening procedures [1], with penalties for sanctions violations reaching up to AUD $3.64 million [1].
However, Australia's sanctions office has indicated that blanket restrictions on all such individuals may not be the only necessary risk mitigation approach [1]. Other Australian universities have taken different positions: Monash University temporarily suspended processing Iranian applications but has since lifted that pause, while RMIT conducts case-by-case assessments [1].