Anti-government protests resurfaced across Iran on Sunday, with demonstrations reported at major universities and in the streets of Tehran and Mashhad. According to various reports, security forces used tear gas to disperse crowds, and gunfire was heard in some areas of the capital.
The gatherings coincided with 40-day memorial ceremonies for individuals killed during the nationwide protests in January. Students assembled at the University of Tehran and in the northeastern city of Mashhad to commemorate the victims, but tensions escalated into confrontations with security personnel.
Opposition sources reported that students at several universities, including Khajeh Nasir University in Tehran, chanted slogans critical of the government and removed images of Iran’s Supreme Leader. Similar demonstrations were reported at Ferdowsi University in Mashhad and Sajjad University.
Some reports indicated that security forces opened fire in parts of Tehran, including along Vali Asr Street, in an effort to disperse crowds largely made up of young protesters. There were also claims that motorcycle units linked to opposition groups appeared in certain areas of the capital.
In a statement shared online, student demonstrators condemned what they described as renewed efforts by authorities to suppress dissent. The statement emphasized that universities should not become spaces for political repression and rejected all forms of authoritarian rule.
State media, however, presented a different account, reporting that individuals described as infiltrators attacked pro-government students and injured some by throwing stones.
Witnesses and opposition groups said security forces used tear gas and other measures to control the situation, and in some locations gunfire was reported. Nighttime protests were also reported at several campuses.
The unrest represents one of the most significant waves of student demonstrations since the January crackdown. It comes at a time of heightened tensions between Iran and the United States, as well as ongoing negotiations over Iran’s nuclear program.