Arabic version: طلاب يحتجون مع إعادة فتح الجامعات بعد الاضطرابات القاتلة

Thousands of Iranian students demonstrated at universities in Tehran and across the country for a second day as they reopened a month after deadly nationwide protests. According to Al Jazeera, thousands were killed during the demonstrations, mostly on the nights of January 8 and 9 during a state-imposed communications blackout.

Prominent universities such as the University of Tehran, Sharif University of Technology, Amirkabir University, and Shahid Beheshti University saw large numbers participating in the protests. Clashes broke out between anti-establishment students and those in favour of the theocratic state, many of them affiliated with the paramilitary Basij organisation of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). Heavy security presence was reported, with armed forces confronting students at university entrances.

Protests also extended to other regions, including Ferdowsi University of Mashhad and the village of Abdanan, where large crowds gathered to cheer and welcome the release of a retired teacher who had been violently arrested by security forces at his home a day earlier. Reports indicate tens of thousands, including schoolchildren and university students, have been arrested during and in the aftermath of the nationwide protests, although Iranian authorities have not disclosed exact figures.

The narrative surrounding the protests has been starkly divided. State media portrayed pro-government students as honouring victims of recent foreign-backed riots, while grassroots organizations shared footage of anti-establishment protests, where students voiced slogans against the regime. Among these were calls for freedom and expressions of solidarity with the victims of the January unrest.

The Iranian government claims that 3,117 individuals were killed during the protests, attributing the violence to external forces. However, various human rights organizations, including the US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA), have reported significantly higher death tolls, with some estimates exceeding 7,000 fatalities. The government continues to reject calls for independent investigations into the events, maintaining a tight grip on information and enforcing internet restrictions.