Student protests are spreading nationwide. Since the new term began, at least 54 major campus gatherings have taken place, with students chanting “Woman, Life, Freedom” and demanding the release of detainees. Despite threats, suspensions, and universities being forced online, students remain defiant. Support is growing from workers’ unions and other sectors. Universities are once again a frontline of resistance — and the movement is expanding.
Students rise across 54 universities, defying the Islamic regime
Support the student uprising
Powerful student protests continue across the country. Following the regime’s criminal massacre in January, universities have once again become a central stronghold for the renewal of popular resistance. These protests echo the justice-seeking demands of 90 million people against the January killings.
Since the beginning of the new academic term on 20 February, at least 54 large student gatherings have taken place nationwide. Protests remain strong, with further demonstrations called for 25 February and 28 February–1 March.
In a statement today, students at the University of Tehran warned the regime:
“Let the regime know: if it expels a thousand students, the thousand-and-first will continue the struggle for justice. The university has stood against despotism before, and its historical memory has been — and will remain — the graveyard of tyrants’ legitimacy. Repressing the university is not a sign of strength, but proof of lost legitimacy.”
Students at Tehran University and other institutions — including Shiraz, Pars, University of Art, Tarbiat Modares, Karaj Islamic Azad University, and others — held gatherings despite heavy pressure.
Chants heard across campuses include:
- “We swear by the blood of our comrades — we stand to the end.”
- “Death to the Islamic Republic.”
- “Woman, Life, Freedom.”
- “Freedom, Freedom, Freedom.”
- “Death to the dictator.”
- “Death to Khamenei.”
- “For every one killed, a thousand stand behind them.”
Students demand the release of all detainees arrested during the January uprising. They have also firmly rejected attempts by small right-wing groups to divide the movement with sectarian or diversionary slogans.
Regime Escalates Repression
In response, the Islamic Republic has intensified arrests, disciplinary cases, threats and forced virtualisation of universities. Several institutions — including Kurdistan University, Zanjan University, Elm-o-Farhang and Kharazmi — have moved classes online.
At least 180 students at Tehran University received threatening SMS messages over “illegal gatherings,” while over 60 students were verbally barred from campus. Rapid disciplinary hearings and security summonses are underway in multiple universities.
Despite this, students continue to call for further protests.
Growing Solidarity
Support for the student movement is expanding. The National Union of Truckers and Drivers of Iran issued a statement honouring students killed in January and expressing solidarity. The Democratic Students Union of Kurdistan and the Bus Workers’ Syndicate of Tehran and Suburbs have also declared support.
Universities remain a crucial frontline against repression and dictatorship. Students stand firm, and the struggle continues.
The Worker-communist Party of Iran condemns the regime’s escalating repression and calls for full support of the student protests and the immediate and unconditional release of all detained students and political prisoners.
Worker-communist Party of Iran
25 February 2026
List of universities with major student protests in recent days:
Universities at the forefront of protest nationwide.
- Alzahra University
- Elm-o-Farhang University
- Sharif University of Technology
- Amirkabir University of Technology (Tehran Polytechnic)
- Iran University of Science and Technology
- Faculty of Theology, University of Tehran
- Kharazmi University
- Sooreh University
- Faculty of Foreign Languages, University of Tehran
- University of Art (Tehran)
- Tehran Polytechnic
- Khajeh Nasir University of Technology
- Abbaspoor Campus (Shahid Beheshti University of Technology)
- Technical Faculties, National University (Abbaspoor)
- Faculty of Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of Tehran
- Shahid Beheshti University
- Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, Shahid Beheshti University
- Islamic Azad University, East Tehran Branch
- Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Tehran
- University of Art, Bagh-e Melli Campus
- Islamic Azad University, Sohanak Branch
- Islamic Azad University, Central Tehran Branch
- Shiraz University
- Isfahan University of Technology
- Ferdowsi University of Mashhad
- Mashhad University of Medical Sciences
- Faculty of Engineering, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad
- Islamic Azad University of Mashhad
- Sajjad University of Mashhad
- Shandiz (Mashhad)
- Persian Gulf University
- Tabriz University of Medical Sciences
- Tarbiat Modares University
- Islamic Azad University of Karaj
- Pars University
