Iranian students held rallies across Tehran on Saturday to mark 40 days since the deadliest phase of recent anti-government unrest, as tensions flared between rival groups on university campuses.
Demonstrations took place at several institutions in the capital, including Sharif University of Technology, where videos circulating online showed scuffles breaking out between opposing crowds. Some protesters were heard chanting “bi sharaf”—meaning “shameful”—while others voiced support for the authorities.
The gatherings followed Shiite mourning traditions, which commemorate the 40th day after a death. They marked the anniversary of protests that peaked on January 8–9, part of a broader wave of unrest that began in December amid worsening economic conditions. The demonstrations later escalated into nationwide anti-government protests, which security forces moved to suppress.
Persian-language broadcaster Iran International, which operates from outside Iran, published footage it said showed large crowds chanting slogans against the country’s leadership. In contrast, the semi-official Fars News Agency reported that a planned “quiet and peaceful sit-in” was disrupted by groups shouting “death to the dictator,” a phrase commonly directed at Iran’s supreme leader.
Casualty figures remain sharply disputed. Tehran has acknowledged more than 3,000 deaths, blaming what it calls “terrorist acts” backed by foreign enemies. The U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) has recorded more than 6,000 killings in the crackdown, most of them protesters, and says the true toll may be even higher.
The unrest has unfolded against a backdrop of renewed international pressure. The United States is seeking a new agreement on Iran’s nuclear programme, and President Donald Trump has previously warned Tehran of possible consequences over its handling of the protests.
