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Student-led demonstrations were reported Tuesday at several major Iranian universities, with opposition outlet Iran International documenting protests in Tehran and Mashhad as discontent continues to ripple through academic institutions following last month’s deadly nationwide crackdown.

According to the outlet, students at Shahid Beheshti University in Tehran staged a sit-in to commemorate those killed during the recent unrest and to demand the release of detained classmates. A statement attributed to the Student Union said the gathering was also intended as a show of solidarity with imprisoned students.

Footage published by Iran International showed parallel protests at Amirkabir University of Technology, where demonstrators were heard chanting slogans including “long live the king,” a reference to Reza Pahlavi, the son of Iran’s former monarch.

The Student Union later reported that security forces blocked campus exits at Amirkabir and detained an unspecified number of students, though Iranian authorities have not publicly confirmed the arrests.

Tensions also escalated at Sharif University of Technology, where Iran International said demonstrations turned into clashes after members of the Basij intervened. Video shared by the outlet appeared to show protesters chanting “shameless” toward militia members during the confrontation.

Outside the capital, students at Mashhad University of Medical Sciences were seen in footage obtained by the opposition outlet chanting “freedom,” underscoring the geographic spread of campus unrest.

Universities emerge as focal points of dissent

The reported rallies highlight how Iran’s universities have once again become focal points for political expression, echoing earlier protest movements in which students played a central role. While the scale of Tuesday’s demonstrations remains unclear, the coordinated nature of actions across multiple campuses suggests persistent grassroots mobilization despite intensified security measures.

Iranian officials have not issued immediate public statements addressing the reported protests or detentions.

The demonstrations come amid a broader climate of political tension following last month’s nationwide protests, during which thousands were reportedly arrested and hundreds killed, according to rights groups and opposition sources, figures that Tehran disputes.

As pressure mounts both domestically and internationally, the renewed campus activism signals that dissent inside Iran is continuing to surface, even as authorities move to contain it.