Iranian students took to the streets again on Sunday (22 February)\nlocal time, as fears of war with the United States continued to mount\nfollowing inconclusive nuclear negotiations between the two\ncountries.<\/p>\n
The protests followed earlier demonstrations by Iranian students\ncommemorating those killed in recent anti-government protests.<\/p>\n
Previous protests in December last year, initially sparked by\neconomic hardship in Iran, rapidly escalated into anti-government\ndemonstrations that marked one of the most significant challenges to\nTehran\u2019s clerical leadership in recent years.<\/p>\n
US President Donald Trump initially expressed support for the Iranian\ndemonstrators and threatened to intervene on their behalf when Tehran\nauthorities launched a brutal and deadly crackdown. However, Trump\u2019s\nthreats subsequently shifted to focus on Iran\u2019s nuclear programme, which\nthe West believes is aimed at developing atomic weapons.<\/p>\n
Washington and Tehran have since returned to the negotiating table.\nAt the same time, however, Trump has escalated a major military build-up\nin the Middle East, intended to pressure Iran into reaching an agreement\nin negotiations with the US.<\/p>\n
Student protests re-emerged in Iran, as reported by AFP on Monday (23\nFebruary 2026), following demonstrations at local university campuses on\nSaturday (21 February) to commemorate victims killed in earlier\nanti-government protests. Both pro-government and anti-government\ndemonstrations were reported to have taken place simultaneously.<\/p>\n
The government-affiliated Fars news agency released several videos on\nSunday showing crowds of dozens of people waving Iranian flags and\ncarrying memorial photographs at several universities in the capital\nTehran.<\/p>\n
One video showed a crowd of demonstrators at the Sharif University of\nTechnology complex chanting \u201cDeath to the Shah\u201d \u2014 a reference to the\nmonarchy overthrown by the Islamic Revolution in 1979.<\/p>\n
Demonstrators at Sharif University of Technology clashed with another\ngroup of protesters, with several uniformed men visible among them.<\/p>\n
Fars news agency reported that \u201ctensions\u201d had occurred at no fewer\nthan three universities in Tehran, where some students chanted\n\u201canti-government\u201d slogans.<\/p>\n
Iran International, an overseas-based media outlet designated as a\n\u201cterrorist\u201d organisation by the Iranian government, shared videos on\nsocial media showing students waving pre-revolution flags at Sharif\nUniversity of Technology.<\/p>\n
Videos of protests at several other higher education institutions\nwere also shared by Iran International.<\/p>\n
One video geolocated by AFP, which appeared to show a protest at\nSharif University of Technology, depicted crowds chanting\nanti-government slogans whilst surrounding a group of students waving\nthe flag of the overthrown monarchy.<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/iranian-students-return-to-the-streets-amid-us-military-threats-1771845818", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }