Iran university protests: Government–Anti-Government divide

Shafaq News- Tehran

Students gathered at Sharif University of Technology in Tehran on Saturday to mark the fortieth day since those killed during the January 2026 unrest in Iran, with separate groups chanting opposing slogans, according to Fars News Agency and opposition-linked outlets.

The state-run Fars said the gathering began as a planned silent sit-in in the university courtyard, coinciding with the start of the new academic term. The tone shifted, the agency reported, after several masked individuals joined and began chanting slogans including “Death to the dictator” and others it described as associated with monarchist groups.

تجمع اعتراضی صدها نفر از دانشجویان، امروز، شنبه ۲ اسفند ۱۴۰۴، دانشگاه صنعتی شریف. pic.twitter.com/rxqCbO3B16

— علی شریفی زارچی (@SharifiZarchi) February 21, 2026

Another group of students at the site responded with slogans supporting the Islamic Revolution and criticized “misinformation by anti-government groups.” Fars reported verbal disputes between the two sides, including objections over conduct during the gathering.

Opposition-affiliated channels, including Iran International, reported separate demonstrations at Amirkabir University of Technology, where students were seen leaving campus chanting, “Do not be afraid, we are all together.” They added that a nearby street was temporarily blocked and that slogans including “Death to Khamenei” were heard at Sharif University.

Reports also indicated a similar gathering at the University of Tehran involving a number of students.

سیدعلی سرنگونهدانشگاه امیرکبیر، ۲ اسفند ۱۴۰۴امروز دانشجویان در دانشگاه صنعتی امیرکبیر، با شعارهایی که دادند حداکثر فاصله خود از رژیم جنایتکار را نشان دادند و اینکه هرگز سر سازش ا حکومتی که به بی‌رحمانه‌تربن شکل معترضان را کشت، ندارند و خواهان سرنگونی رژیم هستند.… pic.twitter.com/AOUu21bp0U

— توانا Tavaana (@Tavaana) February 21, 2026

Videos circulated on social media showed protesters chanting inside a university campus; however, Shafaq News could not independently verify the footage.

Iranian intelligence officials, cited by Fars, said agencies linked to about ten foreign countries had played a role in fueling the January unrest. The Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) has reported that the protests resulted in thousands of deaths and tens of thousands of arrests. Opposition groups reject official claims of foreign involvement, saying the demonstrations stemmed from domestic grievances.