Iran Focus
Several hundred students staged a protest outside the main gate of Jondi Shapour University in Ahvaz, in the oil-rich south-western province of Khuzistan. They chanted “death to the dictator” and “death to Khamenei” (Iran’s Supreme Leader) and clashed with security and intelligence agents. Several students were injured.
Elsewhere, in the north-eastern city of Mashhad 300 students demonstrated in Ferdowsi University. They chanted “Students would rather die than accept humiliation”, “free all political prisoners”, and “Ya Hojjat Ibn Al-Hassan (referring to the 12th Shiite Imam), root out oppression”.
Special anti-riot forces attacked the protesting students with batons and sticks. Clashes ensued and some students hurled empty cola bottles at the security forces.
In the capital, dozens of plainclothes agents and special black-clad anti-riot units have been stationed at Tehran University’s main gate and are controlling the area.
Around Vali Asr Square, nearby, Special Forces on motorbikes are riding around watching over the crowd. Students and others are walking around in groups of 6 to 10.
Clashes broke out between 200 opposition activists and State Security Forces under Seyyed Khandan Bridge in north Tehran. People chanted “death to the dictator”, and the police were forced to retreat from the bridge.
In Enqelab Square, 150 protesters began chanting “death to the dictator”. They quickly dispersed when State Security Forces and agents on motorbikes attacked them.
On 9 July 1999 widespread protests erupted across Iran after members of the hard-line Bassij militia raided a dormitory in Tehran University. One student was killed when he was thrown out of the window. The ensuing nationwide protests that erupted came as a shock to Iran’s clerical leaders and lasted for over a week.
