Tehran University Students Protest After Fatal Robbery of Classmate

Created: JANUARY 25, 2025

Following the tragic death of a 19-year-old business student during a robbery near a Tehran University dormitory, student protests erupted on Friday and continued into Saturday. Amir Mohammad Khaleghi's death sparked outrage and accusations against university officials for alleged negligence in campus safety. Clashes between students and police occurred near the scene of the robbery, where Khaleghi was fatally wounded by two unidentified assailants before passing away at a hospital. Demonstrators voiced their anger with chants such as "Shame on you!", "University security is a tool of the IRGC [Iran Revolutionary Guard Corps], you are our murderers!", and "The blood that has been spilled can never be erased!"

Student protesters in Iran clash with authorities

In response to the escalating situation, Iranian Vice-President Mohammad Reza Aref called for an immediate investigation into Khaleghi's death. Simultaneously, Science, Research, and Technology Minister Hossein Sarraf issued a stern warning to protesters, emphasizing that campus issues should remain contained and unauthorized individuals entering the university would face serious repercussions. While the protests stemmed directly from the student's death, demonstrations in Iran, particularly under the current regime, have the potential to escalate into broader political unrest.

A photo of the victim

Maryam Rajavi, President-elect of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), expressed solidarity with the protesting students on social media, commending their courage and denouncing the regime's oppressive policies that prioritize power over the safety and well-being of its citizens. She urged public support for the students' stand against silence and emphasized the university's crucial role as a bastion of freedom.

Nighttime protest at the university

This incident follows previous large-scale university protests three years prior, triggered by the death of a young woman detained for allegedly improper hijab observance. Those demonstrations, lasting for months, were ultimately quelled by a government crackdown resulting in numerous casualties and arrests.

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