Iranian Students Stage Massive Anti-Government Protests
Students from several universities across Iran staged anti-government protests in the first large-scale demonstrations since the brutal crackdown last month that claimed numerous lives. Clashes broke out between protesters and pro-government supporters.
As reported by the BBC on Sunday (22/2/2026), the broadcaster verified footage of demonstrators marching on the campus of Sharif University of Technology in the capital Tehran on Saturday. Clashes were subsequently observed between the protesters and government supporters.
Verified footage showed hundreds of demonstrators, many carrying Iranian national flags, marching peacefully on the Sharif University of Technology campus at the start of the new semester on Saturday.
The protesters chanted “death to the dictator” — a reference to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei — along with other anti-government slogans.
Meanwhile, rival pro-government demonstrators were seen nearby in the footage. Fighting was subsequently observed breaking out between the two sides.
Verified photographs also emerged showing a peaceful sit-in at Shahid Beheshti University in the capital.
The BBC also verified footage from another Tehran university, Amir Kabir University of Technology, showing anti-government chanting.
In Mashhad, Iran’s second-largest city in the north-east, local students were reported to have chanted: “Freedom, freedom” and “Students, shout, shout for your rights.”
Large-scale demonstrations at other locations were also reported later in the day, with calls for further protests on Sunday.
It remains unclear whether any demonstrators were arrested.
Sit-ins were also held at other universities in Tehran, and demonstrations were reported in the north-east. Students paid tribute to the thousands killed during mass protests in January.
The United States has increased its military presence near Iran, whilst President Donald Trump has said he is considering limited military strikes.
The US and its European allies suspect that Iran is moving towards developing nuclear weapons, something Tehran has consistently denied.
US and Iranian officials met in Switzerland last Tuesday. Some progress was reported to have been achieved in talks aimed at curbing Iran’s nuclear programme.
However, despite the reported progress, Trump said afterwards that the world would know “in about 10 days” whether a deal would be reached with Iran or the US would take military action.
Trump has previously backed the protesters, on one occasion appearing to encourage them with a promise that “help is on the way.”
The large-scale demonstrations that took place in Iran last month began over economic grievances and quickly spread to become the largest since the 1979 Islamic Revolution.