University students in Tehran and other parts of Iran held new anti-government protests on Sunday, gathering around memorials for people killed during a violent crackdown on nationwide demonstrations about six weeks ago.
According to Iran’s state news agency, students demonstrated at five universities in the capital and one in Mashhad. Witnesses said scattered protests began Saturday during 40-day memorial ceremonies for victims killed in January unrest.
The government had not commented on the latest protests by Sunday.
Across the country, families and communities have been observing the traditional 40-day mourning period for those believed to have died around January 8 and 9. Activists say the memorial gatherings have become rallying points for renewed demonstrations.
Iran remains shaken by the earlier protests, which were met with one of the deadliest crackdowns under Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. Thousands of people were reportedly killed and tens of thousands arrested.
While the security operation suppressed large-scale demonstrations, smaller protests continue to occur, according to activists and videos shared on social media.
Historically, 40-day memorials have played a role in protest cycles. During the 1979 revolution that led to the establishment of the Islamic Republic, similar mourning ceremonies often turned into demonstrations that triggered further clashes and deaths.
Posts circulating online alleged that security forces attempted to restrict attendance at some memorial ceremonies over the weekend.
The unrest comes amid rising regional tensions, as Donald Trump warned on Friday that limited U.S. strikes against Iran remain possible while negotiations over Tehran’s nuclear programme continue.
The U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency estimates that at least 7,015 people were killed in the earlier protests and crackdown, including 214 government personnel. Iran’s government issued a lower figure on January 21, saying 3,117 people died. Independent verification remains difficult due to restrictions on internet access and communications.
Additional U.S. military deployments in the region, including the presence of the USS Gerald R. Ford near the Mediterranean, have increased tensions, though they do not confirm an imminent strike.
Despite heavy security measures, memorial gatherings and student demonstrations continue, reflecting ongoing grief, fear and unrest among sections of the Iranian population.
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