Arabic version: إيران تنشر الشرطة المسلحة لقمع احتجاجات الطلاب في الجامعات
Plainclothes police and security forces, many of them armed, have flooded Iran’s universities in a bid to crush a fourth day of student protests against Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. Running battles were reported on some campuses, particularly at the University of Science and Technology in Tehran, where videos captured students engaging in fistfights with Basij militia members.
At the University of Tehran, pick-up trucks with machine guns were photographed parked outside as demonstrations also unfolded in Mashhad. In a move to stifle dissent, university administrators have barred entry to students identified as being involved in previous protests and have announced the closure of in-person classes. Currently, nearly 80% of Iran’s universities are already conducting virtual courses to prevent gatherings that could lead to further demonstrations.
Videos from the University of Art in Tehran reveal students chanting slogans such as “We fight, we die, we take back Iran” and calling for the release of political prisoners. The protests form an uneasy backdrop to the third round of nuclear program talks in Geneva, raising questions about the impact of domestic unrest on international negotiations.
Iran’s Attorney General, Mohammad Mohebi Azad, has demanded retribution against the protesters, stating that responsible agencies must quickly identify the related elements and take decisive and legal action against them. He suggested that certain currents, under the guidance of the enemy, have tried to inflame the domestic atmosphere during negotiations, indicating the government’s concern over the protests.
The situation remains tense as the Iranian leadership grapples with both internal dissent and the complexities of ongoing nuclear discussions, with implications for regional stability and international relations. According to The Guardian, the protests are a significant challenge to the government’s authority amidst a backdrop of heightened scrutiny from both domestic and international observers.
