Iranian Students Protest at Tehran Universities

Iranian students took to the streets at Tehran universities on Saturday, chanting anti-government slogans to mark the 40th day since a deadly wave of protests, local and diaspora media reported.

Videos geolocated by AFP showed clashes at Tehran’s top engineering university, where some demonstrators shouted "bi sharaf" ("disgraceful") in Farsi. Footage shared by the Persian-language Iran International channel also showed large crowds protesting at Sharif University of Technology.

The demonstrations come in line with Shiite tradition, which commemorates the 40th day after the deaths of loved ones. Students and citizens gathered again at multiple universities in the capital to honor those killed during protests that peaked on January 8 and 9.

The unrest, which began in December over economic hardships, escalated into nationwide anti-government demonstrations. Authorities responded with a violent crackdown. While Iranian officials report over 3,000 deaths, blaming “terrorist acts” and foreign influence, human rights groups such as the US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) have recorded more than 7,000 fatalities, most of them protesters.

The rallies underscore ongoing tensions between Iran’s youth and the clerical leadership, even months after the initial wave of demonstrations.