Iran's president announced a halt to a controversial plan to segregate male and female university students.

President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said in a message on his web site Wednesday that the proposed policies are “shallow and unwise.” He added that “urgent action” is needed to prevent “superficial and non-scholarly actions.”

Iran's ministry in charge of higher education had announced that male and female students were to attend separate classes beginning in September.

The move is part of a regime push for stricter regulation of Islamic values.

In an increasing political feud, Mr. Ahmadinejad has been at odds with Iran's supreme ruler and ultra-conservatives over whether the nation should be run under tighter religious guidelines.