Students in Iran have staged the first anti-government protests since a violent crackdown on mass demonstrations that reportedly resulted in thousands of deaths. The renewed unrest signals continued discontent within the country and comes amid heightened tensions with the United States.
Footage confirmed by the BBC showed hundreds of students marching on the campus of Sharif University of Technology in the capital, Tehran, on Saturday. Clashes broke out between protesting students and groups supporting the government during the demonstrations.
Students at Shahid Beheshti University in Tehran held a sit-in, while those at Amir Kabir University voiced anti-government slogans. In Mashhad, the country’s second-largest city located in the northeast, students chanted “Freedom, freedom,” according to reports.
The protests served as a memorial for those killed during widespread demonstrations in January. Video footage showed students chanting “Death to the dictator” in reference to Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei.
U.S. INCREASES THREAT OF MILITARY ACTION
The developments in Iran coincide with a period of escalating tensions with the United States. Reports indicate an increase in U.S. Military presence in the region and President Donald Trump stated he was considering a limited military intervention.
U.S. And Iranian officials met in Switzerland on Tuesday for talks aimed at limiting Iran’s nuclear program, and both sides reported progress. However, following the discussions, Trump indicated that a deal was not yet certain, stating that it would be “probably in the next 10 days” before it became clear whether military options would be considered.
Protests initially sparked by economic concerns in late December quickly spread across the country, becoming the largest demonstrations since the 1979 Islamic Revolution.
The U.S.-based organization Hrana has verified at least 6,159 deaths in connection with the unrest, including 5,804 protesters, 92 children, and 214 individuals affiliated with the government. The organization is too investigating an additional 17,000 reported deaths.
Iranian officials, however, stated last month that more than 3,100 people had died, claiming the majority were security forces or civilians targeted by “rioters.”
Some exiled opposition groups have called for U.S. Military intervention, while others oppose foreign involvement. The differing viewpoints highlight the complex dynamics within the Iranian opposition movement.
