Iranian Students Return to the Streets Amid US Military Threats
Iranian students took to the streets again on Sunday (22 February) local time, as fears of war with the United States continued to mount following inconclusive nuclear negotiations between the two countries.
The protests followed earlier demonstrations by Iranian students commemorating those killed in recent anti-government protests.
Previous protests in December last year, initially sparked by economic hardship in Iran, rapidly escalated into anti-government demonstrations that marked one of the most significant challenges to Tehran’s clerical leadership in recent years.
US President Donald Trump initially expressed support for the Iranian demonstrators and threatened to intervene on their behalf when Tehran authorities launched a brutal and deadly crackdown. However, Trump’s threats subsequently shifted to focus on Iran’s nuclear programme, which the West believes is aimed at developing atomic weapons.
Washington and Tehran have since returned to the negotiating table. At the same time, however, Trump has escalated a major military build-up in the Middle East, intended to pressure Iran into reaching an agreement in negotiations with the US.
Student protests re-emerged in Iran, as reported by AFP on Monday (23 February 2026), following demonstrations at local university campuses on Saturday (21 February) to commemorate victims killed in earlier anti-government protests. Both pro-government and anti-government demonstrations were reported to have taken place simultaneously.
The government-affiliated Fars news agency released several videos on Sunday showing crowds of dozens of people waving Iranian flags and carrying memorial photographs at several universities in the capital Tehran.
One video showed a crowd of demonstrators at the Sharif University of Technology complex chanting “Death to the Shah” — a reference to the monarchy overthrown by the Islamic Revolution in 1979.
Demonstrators at Sharif University of Technology clashed with another group of protesters, with several uniformed men visible among them.
Fars news agency reported that “tensions” had occurred at no fewer than three universities in Tehran, where some students chanted “anti-government” slogans.
Iran International, an overseas-based media outlet designated as a “terrorist” organisation by the Iranian government, shared videos on social media showing students waving pre-revolution flags at Sharif University of Technology.
Videos of protests at several other higher education institutions were also shared by Iran International.
One video geolocated by AFP, which appeared to show a protest at Sharif University of Technology, depicted crowds chanting anti-government slogans whilst surrounding a group of students waving the flag of the overthrown monarchy.