"This is the Final Battle": IRGC Forces Punish Protesters | GRAPHIC
Iranian universities have become a "front line" as a second wave of nationwide protests enters its third day. From Mashhad to Tehran, students are clashing with Basij forces, raising pre-revolutionary flags and demanding an end to the "clerical dictatorship" amid reports of torture-related deaths and a massive U.S. military buildup in the region.
A second massive wave of anti-government protests has paralyzed Iran’s major academic institutions this week, as students return to campuses following the 40-day mourning period for those killed in the bloody January 2026 uprising.
Despite a "martial-law-like" atmosphere and a series of lethal crackdowns that have reportedly claimed thousands of lives since late December, student-led demonstrations entered their third and most intense day on Tuesday.
The most violent confrontations have centered on Azad University in Mashhad and Ferdowsi University, where students were filmed engaging in direct physical clashes with the Basij, the paramilitary wing of the Revolutionary Guard (IRGC).
In Mashhad, students were heard chanting, "Basij, Guards, you are our Daesh (ISIS)," a slogan directly comparing the regime's security forces to the extremist terror group. Security forces have reportedly taken control of university entrances, conducting violent arrests and implementing "entry bans" for suspected activists.
At Sharif University and the University of Tehran, protesters have increasingly adopted monarchist symbols, raising the pre-1979 "Lion and Sun" flag and chanting "Javid Shah" (Long Live the Shah) alongside traditional calls for "Woman, Life, Freedom."
The current unrest is fueled by several converging factors reported by international monitors and opposition sources:
The 40-Day "Chehelom": Protests were reignited to mark the 40th day since the "January Massacres." Memorial ceremonies for fallen students, such as Faezeh Hosse-Nejad in Mashhad and Raha Bohloulipour in Tehran, have transformed into massive anti-regime rallies.
Mainstream reports highlight that the protests are backed by a historic economic collapse and a sharp depreciation of the rial, which initially brought the "Bazaari" (merchants) into the streets in High-ranking officials have described the current situation as a "historical turn." MP Amir-Hossein Sabeti recently criticized the government for "misguided policies" that led to the burning of Islamic Republic flags on campuses.
As the U.S. and Iran prepare for high-stakes talks in Geneva this Thursday, the domestic situation in Iran has become a primary factor in Washington's "lethal force" rhetoric.
University presidents, including Masoud Tajrishi of Sharif University, have warned that legal authorities will intervene if the "illegal" gatherings continue.
Reports from Iran International indicate that a detained protester from Mashhad recently died in the hospital after being severely tortured while in custody, further enflaming tensions on the ground.