Iranian Students Defy Crackdown with Third Day of Campus Protests
Students at universities across Iran have defiantly held a third consecutive day of protests, just over a month after the violent suppression of mass street demonstrations by security services left thousands dead. The renewed campus unrest serves as a stark reminder of the ongoing political turmoil gripping the nation.
Protests Spread to Al Zahra University
The demonstrations on Monday spread to several campuses, including the all-women Al Zahra University in Tehran. Here, students chanted anti-government slogans such as 'death to the dictator' and 'for every one killed, a thousand will follow', while an Iranian flag was burned and torn. However, the protests did not escalate to the streets, remaining contained within university grounds.
In a symbolic act of ridicule aimed at Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, some students climbed trees on campus and hung toy mice from the branches. This gesture was intended to suggest that Khamenei is hiding underground like a mouse, reflecting deep-seated discontent with his leadership.
Authorities Impose Media Blackout and Campus Bans
Domestic media coverage of the university protests has been severely restricted to a minimum. Authorities have directed universities to ban any students identified in photographs of the demonstrations from campus. This crackdown has led to clashes between students and authorities, despite the supposed freedom of students from police interference on campus grounds.
A Telegram channel for Iranian students, Anjmotahed, reported that an attack by the Basij state-backed militia at Sharif University in Tehran left several students injured, with an ambulance arriving at the campus. Universities have also sent text messages to students warning them of disciplinary consequences for participation in the protests.
Political Backdrop and International Tensions
The protests occur amid heightened tensions between Iran and the United States. Washington has been building up military forces and pressure in the Middle East as it negotiates with Tehran, with the next round of talks scheduled for Thursday in Geneva. U.S. President Donald Trump has warned that 'really bad things will happen' if no deal is reached, while Iran's foreign ministry spokesperson, Esmail Baghaei, stated on Monday that Iran would retaliate 'ferociously' against any attack.
These renewed demonstrations highlight that Trump has not yet fulfilled his pledge to 'Iranian patriots' during the January protests that 'help is on its way'. Internally, the protests underscore the gravest crisis of Khamenei's 36-year tenure, with an economy struggling under international sanctions and growing unrest since the major protests in January.
Reformist Voices and Internal Dissent
Mohammad Khatami, Iran's president from 1997 to 2005, has called for the release of all those arrested in the protests, stating they are accused of nothing but despair and protest. His remarks mark a shift from his initial response, where he suggested the protests were engineered by the U.S. and Israel. Often seen as less critical of the regime than other reformists, Khatami's change in tone signals deepening internal dissent.
Separately, Iranian reformists have complained about being banned from standing for Tehran city council, indicating that political interference, common in parliamentary and presidential politics, has now spread to the local authority level. In a further ominous sign for the government, five political parties representing Iranian Kurds have agreed to form a coalition aimed at bringing down the government, citing a loss of legitimacy.
Nuclear Talks and Regional Diplomacy
The fragmented signs of internal dissent come at an awkward time for the government as Ali Larijani, secretary of the Supreme National Security Council, prepares to meet Omani mediators in Muscat on Tuesday ahead of major talks on a future nuclear deal in Geneva on Thursday. Iran's foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, has said Iran will put forward proposals to reassure the U.S. that it has no plan or means to build a nuclear bomb.
Iran appears willing to revert to the Additional Protocol, an agreement that gives the UN nuclear weapons inspectorate enhanced access to Iran's nuclear sites. At the UN Human Rights Council, Iran's deputy foreign minister, Kazem Gharibabadi, warned that if war breaks out, its effects 'will not be limited to just the two sides, but will encompass the region', urging diplomacy over sanctions and war.
Secret Arms Deal with Russia
In a related development, Iran was reported on Monday to have agreed a secret €500 million arms deal with Russia in December. The agreement, signed in Moscow, commits Russia to deliver 500 man-portable Verba launch units and 2,500 9M336 missiles over three years, aiming to fill a major hole in Iran's air defences.
As student protests persist and political tensions mount, Iran faces a critical juncture, with both domestic unrest and international pressures converging to challenge the stability of the regime.
