Recent sanctions prohibiting money transfers from Iran to the U.S. are negatively affecting Iranian exchange students. At UW-Whitewater, Iranian exchange student Mirnima Salami-Saadatloo is dealing with the fall-out from the sanctions.

“This decision is affecting me directly because I can’t transfer money from my country,” Salami-Saadatloo said. “I have money in my account back there, but it’s tied up, and I can’t do anything. It’s very frustrating.”

Tensions between the U.S. and Iran continue to escalate each day, and if that trend doesn’t reverse soon, Salami-Saadatloo will have to live on an ever-tightening budget.

“My money is just enough for a couple of months, paying for my rent and food and stuff like that,” Salami-Saadatloo said. “It is just enough for, I think, three to four months, not including paying my tuition fees or going any further.”

Lecturer Anne Hamilton, the interim director of Global Education at UW-Whitewater, is one of several people on campus trying to help Salami-Saadatloo in any way.

“If we can help find him a job somewhere on campus, that would definitely help with the cash flow problem,” Hamilton said. “My understanding is that there are also some institutional mechanisms such as emergency loans through the financial aid office that could help.”

Hamilton said that while Iranian students, such as Salami-Saadatloo, are dealing with a difficult time, it’s not unusual for international students to have tough economic situations.

“I’m not trying to minimize it at all what Mirnima is going through,” Hamilton said. “However, the unfortunate fact is we have a number of international students who have financial need. It’s a real problem.”

Zohreh Ghavamshahidi, a UW-Whitewater professor currently in Iran, is well aware of how difficult international students have it, especially Salami-Saadatloo.

“International students pay three times more for their tuition than residents,” Ghavamshahidi said. “With the U.S. prohibition of fund transfers from Iran, students will not be able to pay their tuition and other expenses and their education will be interrupted.”

Ghavamshahidi said she is puzzled as to why these sanctions on Iran banks are in place when the U.S. banks need as much money as they can get their hands on in this economic situation.

While the situation plays itself out, Salami-Saadatloo said he is trying to just focus on school and his studies. He said he is hopeful things will work out.

“They (the financial aid and global education center offices) promised to help me somehow,” Salami-Saadatloo said. “They have been really positive, and I think they are going to find a solution.”

Hamilton had nothing but nice things to say about the way Salami-Saadatloo was dealing with his current predicament.

“He’s a really nice kid and a serious student,” Hamilton said. “He’s not just sitting around moaning and groaning saying ‘Woe is me.’ He definitely is being very pro-active.”