Day 38 of Protests Across Iran: Government’s Suppression Receives International Condemnation

Mass student protests continued at universities across Iran on Monday. Security forces attacked an art school, while students at Khwaja Nasir University prevented Ali Bahadori Jahromi, a spokesperson for Ibrahim Raisi's government, from speaking.

The 38th night of nationwide protests ended with videos from Iran showing protests continuing in several cities including Tehran, Mahabad and Sardasht. In the latest video posted on the 1500tasvir Twitter account, security forces fired shots at buildings on Karun Street in the west of Tehran, where protestors chanted anti-government slogans on Monday night.

Some Twitter users reported that two loud explosions were heard in the Karun neighborhood. According to posts on social media, the sound of the explosion was different to the sound of gunshots or tear gas, and much louder.

Students from many Iranian universities, including Hamedan, Tabriz, Sharif, Dezful, Ahvaz, Alam and Sanat, continued to protest despite the ongoing repression.

Young men and women, particularly university students, have been at the forefront of the movement, and intelligence agencies have increased security measures at campuses across Iran. 

Security forces violently stormed Tehran's Sadr art gallery, leading to scenes of violence. According to information received by IranWire, security forces attacked the gallery in Tehran and, with the cooperation of the director, searched and beat up students.

Videos circulating on social media show heavily armed security forces gathering outside. One clip shows them on motorbikes and firing at least one teargas canister.

During these clashes, several students were injured. According to the Twitter account of 1500tasvir, one of the girls is Sana Soleimani, a 16-year-old, who was transferred to Luqman Hospital after her condition worsened.

Worried parents gathered outside, awaiting news. Videos posted on social media indicate that an ambulance was stationed while security forces fired tear gas.

The Education Ministry said there was a clash at the Tehran high school between staff, students and parents after the school principal insisted on checking the girls’ phones.

Mehr news agency reported that the officers "dispersed the protesters through dialogue".The news agency confirmed the gathering in front of the school but claimed special unit agents did not enter, and only some agents went inside to talk to parents.

Meanwhile, protests continued in many universities. Several students at Hamedan University of Technology gathered to protest the killing of one of their fellow students.Iran’s Students Union Council described the atmosphere of Hamadan University of Technology as under extreme surveillance and wrote: "The students' gathering took plae while the university was surrounded by special forces."

Social media footage shows students gathering at the Faculty of Foreign Languages and Literature of Tehran University, University of Science and Technology, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad and Mazandaran University. Students at these universities protested and defied orders to return to classrooms.

The Students Union Council also announced a rise in the number of students banned from entering the university and said at least 33 students were not allowed to enter due to taking part in the protests. 

Ali Bahadori Jahormi, a spokesperson for Ebrahim Raisi's government, was due to speak on Monday at Tehran's Khajeh Nasir University. However, his speech was left unfinished due to widespread protests and loud slogans being chanted. "I think if I’m not here, maybe the insults will stop," he said following the protest. "Let's schedule the meeting for another time."

Students chanted slogans such as: "We don't want a corrupt system, we don't want a murderous guest" and "Death to Khamenei" in the presence of Jahormi in the university’s assembly hall.

Teachers and school staff in several cities across Iran continued their strike for the second day on Monday amid a security forces crackdown.

Schoolchildren across the country have also joined the nationwide protests in recent days, leading to clashes with teachers and ultimately security forces, who have arrested some they suspect of having taken part in the demonstrations.

Schoolgirls are the latest – and most surprising – group to challenge the political establishment in Tehran. Security and intelligence agencies are now considering how to suppress crowds of children calling for their freedom as they join the largest demonstrations in Iran since the 2019 cost of living protests which were violently supressed, leading to the deaths of at least 1,500 people.

Reports obtained by IranWire from the Kurdish provinces of Iran indicate that, despite the threats from the security forces, protest rallies went ahead in schools across the country.

The Coordinating Council for Teachers Union reported that schools, mainly in predominantly Kurdish cities, heeded its call to boycott classes for two days in protest over the deaths and arrests of students.

Strikes were reported on Monday in Juanrud, Marivan, Saqqez, Nene village of Marivan, Aichi village of Saqqez, Shiraz, Sanandaj, Baneh, Mahabad, Kamiyaran, Kermanshah, Hamedan, Lahijan, Neishabur, Bandar Anzali, Miandorud, Mazandaran and Sarovabad.

A court in Tehran indicted 315 people, who had been arrested in recent “riots” for “gathering and conspiring with intent to damage national security, propaganda against the system and igniting public disorder,” state news agency Irna reported on Monday, citing a judiciary official.

Four of the detainees have been charged as enemies of God, an offence which under the government’s interpretation of Sharia law incurs the death penalty.

The Clooney Foundation for Justice has condemned the Islamic Republic’s ruthless targeting and unlawful killing of women and girls, saying it stands in solidarity with the brave protesters who continue to fight for their freedom.

It calls on governments which believe in human rights to use every tool at their disposal to support the protesters and ensure that those responsible for the violence and repression are held to account.

“I’m in awe of the courage demonstrated by Iranian women and girls who are bravely fighting for their freedom, and the men supporting them. Government forces determined to silence a whole generation of Iranian girls should be held to account for their inhumane treatment of half of the population of their country,” said Amal Clooney, Co-Founder of the Clooney Foundation For Justice.

“Girls around the world are watching as children are forced to lead a movement to save their lives. They should be seeing concrete action to investigate and prosecute those responsible for these heinous attacks, so that Mahsa Amini’s family, and all victims of this violent crackdown, can see justice being done. It is abhorrent that in 2022 there are still girls around the world who lack the freedom to make basic choices about their lives. As a foundation this is a battle we will continue to fight,” added Clooney.

The ongoing burst of public anger was sparked by the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini in hospital on September 16, three days after her arrest for allegedly wearing a hijab, or head scarf, improperly.

The protests first focused on Iran’s strict dress code for women, but soon grew into one of the most serious challenges to the country’s establishment, with demonstrators clashing with security forces and calling for the downfall of the Islamic Republic.

Authorities have waged a violent crackdown on the protest movement, killing at least 215 people, including 27 children, according to one human rights organization. Several thousand people, including teachers, have been arrested. Attacks against schoolchildren have caused public outrage in many cities.