Iran offered a muted but stern warning on Tuesday to university students who recently revived anti-government rallies across the country, with Iranian leaders currently face immense pressure following a mass protest movement and growing threats of United States military action.
University students launched a new semester this weekend with gatherings that echoed the slogans of January’s nationwide demonstrations. On Tuesday, the fourth consecutive day of campus unrest, verified videos showed two groups facing off at a Tehran university. One group waved Iranian flags while the other chanted anti-government slogans shortly before scuffles broke out in a large hall. Furthermore, reports indicate that students burned the official flag of the Islamic Republic during rallies held earlier this week.
The Government Response
Government spokeswoman Fatemeh Mohajerani provided the first official reaction to these rallies during a press conference held on Tuesday morning. She stated that while students maintain a right to protest, they must “understand the red lines” set by the state.
“The flag is one of these red lines that we must protect and not cross even at the height of anger,” Mohajerani added. She acknowledged that students “have wounds in their hearts,” yet she emphasized that the clerical leadership would not tolerate certain provocations.
The initial wave of protests began in December over economic woes but quickly grew into a massive challenge for leadership. Although the government acknowledges over 3,000 deaths, rights groups like HRANA suggest the actual death toll exceeds 7,000 people.
“Authorities continue to terrorise the population,” stated Human Rights Watch researcher Bahar Saba in a report released earlier today. She noted that detainees frequently face torture, coerced confessions, and summary executions as the state attempts to maintain total control.
Military Shadows
The domestic unrest coincides with a massive United States military build-up in the Middle East aimed at curbing Iran’s nuclear program. Consequently, Washington deployed the USS Abraham Lincoln and the USS Gerald R. Ford to the region to pressure Tehran.
In response, the Revolutionary Guards carried out drills on the shores of the Gulf as a significant show of force. General Mohammad Karami told state television that the military designed these measures based on the specific threats that currently exist. While indirect negotiations resume in Geneva this Thursday, the threat of a “ferocious” retaliation looms over the entire region.
