Plainclothes police and security forces are attempting to suppress student protests against Iran’s supreme leader, Ali Khamenei, as demonstrations enter a fourth day at universities across the country. Running battles have been reported on some campuses, with students facing off against state-backed militia and increased security presence.
Student Protests Intensify Across Iran
Clashes between students and the Basji state-backed militia were reported at the University of Science and Technology in Tehran. Pick-up trucks equipped with machine-guns were photographed outside the University of Tehran, and demonstrations also occurred in Mashhad.
Many students have been barred from entering universities if identified as having participated in previous protests. Nearly 80% of Iranian universities are already conducting virtual courses, a measure partly intended to prevent gatherings and demonstrations against the government and its crackdown on January protests.
Chants and Demands Echo on Campuses
Students at the University of Art in Tehran chanted slogans including “We fight, we die, we take back Iran”, “Political prisoners must be freed” and “Khamenei the Zahhak [serpent king], we’ll bury you alive”. Protesters also directed insults toward the Basijis and made comments regarding the personal life of the supreme leader.
The protests coincide with the third round of talks on Iran’s nuclear program, scheduled for Thursday in Geneva between Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff.
Government Response and International Tensions
Iran’s attorney general, Mohammad Mohebi Azad, demanded retribution against the protesters on Tuesday, stating that responsible agencies should “quickly identify the related elements and take decisive and legal action against them.” He also suggested the protests were instigated by enemies during negotiations.
The indirect talks, mediated by Oman, are considered potentially decisive as the U.S. completes the deployment of naval and air power in the region. The success of the negotiations hinges on whether the U.S. will allow Iran a limited right to enrich uranium, such as for medical purposes.
U.S. President Donald Trump has maintained that a war with Iran is winnable and dismissed reports from the chair of the joint chiefs of staff, Dan Caine, advising against an attack due to lack of regional support and munitions. Trump warned that failure to reach a deal would result in “a very bad day for that country and unfortunately for its people.”
Shifting Rhetoric and Historical References
Ali Hashem, associate research fellow at the Center for Islamic and West Asian Studies, Royal Holloway College, noted a shift in Khamenei’s rhetoric from “tactical restraint” to the language of “confrontation through the lens of Karbala,” referencing the Shia narrative of Imam Hussein’s resistance against an unjust ruler.
Hashem explained that this reference, while potentially symbolic to foreign audiences, represents a moral and political code of resistance within the Shiite political consciousness, challenging the U.S. approach of proportionate response and coercive diplomacy.
Casualty Reports and Discrepancies
The Washington-based human rights organization HRANA this week published a report, titled “Red Winter,” detailing the identities of over 7,000 people confirmed dead in the January protests.
The Iranian president’s office has released a list identifying 2,986 deaths, with a total reported death toll of 3,117. The discrepancy of 131 deaths is attributed to anonymity and inconsistencies in national ID registration.
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