Iran’s government stresses ‘red lines’ as students protest in universities

Some protesting students in Iran have already been suspended, and the office of the prosecutor general is now overseeing cases.

Tehran, Iran – The Iranian government has emphasised that protesting students must adhere to the theocratic establishment’s “red lines” as violent clashes took place inside universities for a fourth day.

Iranian students “have wounds in their hearts” and are angry, government spokesperson Fatemeh Mohajerani acknowledged to reporters during a news conference in Tehran on Tuesday, in an apparent reference to thousands killed during nationwide protests in January.

But she added that “sacred things and the flag are two of the red lines that we must protect”, a day after footage circulating online appeared to show some students tearing up and burning the country’s current flag, and hoisting Iran’s lion and sun flag, which was used before the 1979 Islamic revolution.

Mohajerani said the government believes the students must be heard, but confirmed that many universities remain closed more than a month after the protest killings, which mostly took place on the nights of January 8 and 9. Some universities have already moved classes online for the remainder of the Iranian calendar year, which ends on March 20.

But videos released on Tuesday by students and local media from inside tense university campuses that are still open showed pro-state groups affiliated with the paramilitary Basij force of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) violently clashing with anti-establishment students.