Angry and furious university students clash with militants in Ahwaz Chamran University
By Keyvan Salami
National Student Day in Iran
Students booed Rouhani and chanted- “student rather dies than be humiliated” and “death to dictator”.
Despite all the efforts by the Iranian regime to curb students’ demonstrations, the protests In Iran’s universities are growing day by day. The regime filled its prisons, in the past three decades, of political and human rights activist leaders of student movements, nevertheless, every university in Iran is a frontline against the despotic regime of mullahs. The first weeks in December are hard days for Iran’s suppressive forces as students commemorate Iran’s National Student Day on December 7th.
This year President Rouhani appeared at Tehran’s Sharif Industrial University, on Dec. 7, in a deceptive gesture that his regime is celebrating the student Day. Rouhani’s speech was disrupted when students ridiculed and condemned him for the massive number of executions by his regime. The protest went on to such an extent that Rouhani was compelled to cut short his speech and make a quick exit. Despite the heavy security inside and outside the building angry students booed Rouhani and chanted “death to dictator”. Outside the auditorium where president Rouhani was speaking, another group of students who were barred from attending the speech protested while demanding the freedom of political prisoners.
In Ahwaz, south of Iran, furious university students at Ahwaz Chamran University clashed with the government backed militias in the university campus. The clashes were provoked by the actions of government Besiege elements trying to prevent the student gathering. The students forced themselves in to the University Auditorium resulting in the clash. Students frustrated with the regime’s suppressive measures used this opportunity to snatch the suppressive commander of the militants and physically punishing him. These clashes happened while the people in the audience where selected carefully. Rouhani had brought as many numbers of people to the event as possible to avoid embarrassment.
Students at University of Tehran showed their outrage against suppression and plundering of the country’s wealth by the clerical regime. They expressed anger and dissent against repressive measures applied in the university and the government filtering the internet sites.
More than 2,000 students from Najaf-Abad University, in the suburb of Isfahan, demonstrated to mark the National Day of Students. They chanted anti-regime slogans. This demonstration was following the death of a number of students during car accidents. The protesters carried their photographs saying “where are you, my brothers”.
In many cities the Iranian regime obstructed ceremonies related to the Student Day upon various pretexts. In Qom, the program related to the Student Day was cancelled and instead burial ceremony was held for regime’s hirelings that had died in Syria. In the universities of Hamadan and Ahwaz debates that were to be held in these universities were all cancelled. The Student Day program at Medical Sciences University of Shahrekord was also cancelled on pretext of disruptions.
Students at University of Qazvin, west of Tehran, protested to express solidarity with the National Students’ Day
Iranian government authorities were afraid of student protest which happens every year on the occasion of this National Day. In addition to closure of a number of universities, the Rouhani government has banned any student gatherings in a number of universities including universities in Qum (Central Iran), Hamadan (also toward Center of the country) and Ahwaz (south of the country).
Students in Iran have always been a solid force in revolution. Despite the many arrests and torture of student leaders and deploring security forces to stifle student voices, nevertheless, the Iranian regime still cannot hide its fear from students.