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Students in Tehran gathered at several universities to commemorate victims of recent demonstrations, with some rallies turning confrontational as opposing groups exchanged slogans and faced off on campus grounds, according to local and diaspora media reports.
The events followed Shiite mourning tradition, marking the 40th day since deaths that occurred during a surge in protests on Jan. 8 and 9. Demonstrators used the memorials to repeat anti-government chants, while pro-government supporters also mobilized, creating tense standoffs.
Videos verified by international media showed crowds assembling at leading institutions, including Sharif University of Technology and Tehran’s main engineering university.
In some scenes, participants shouted slogans against Iran’s leadership, while others waved national flags and held memorial photos of those killed.
Footage from one gathering showed clashes erupting between groups as some protesters shouted "bi sharaf," a Farsi term meaning "disgraceful," directed at opposing participants.
Local media reported that a planned silent student sit-in intended to honor victims was disrupted when some participants began chanting political slogans, including "death to the dictator," referring to Iran’s supreme leader.
The wave of unrest began in December, initially driven by prolonged financial hardship. Demonstrations later expanded into broader anti-government protests across the country.
Iranian authorities said more than 3,000 people died during the unrest, attributing the violence to what they described as terrorist actions backed by foreign adversaries.
However, the U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) reported a significantly higher toll, documenting more than 7,000 killings, with most victims identified as protesters.
The campus protests occurred as Tehran faced mounting international pressure over its nuclear program and relations with the United States.
Washington had positioned military forces within striking distance of Iran during the unrest, while U.S. President Donald Trump warned of possible military action in response to the government’s handling of protesters.
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