Iran cautions students over ‘red lines’ as campus protests intensify

Iran’s government has warned university students to respect “red lines” amid renewed campus protests, following the burning of the national flag during demonstrations in Iran.

Government spokeswoman Fatemeh Mohajerani said students have the right to protest but must not cross certain boundaries, describing sacred symbols and the national flag as untouchable.

“S sacred things and the flag are two examples of these red lines that we must protect and not cross, even at the height of anger,” she said on Tuesday. Mohajerani added that students were expressing deep frustration, noting that their anger was “understandable” given the experiences they had witnessed.

The warning followed fresh demonstrations that erupted as universities resumed a new academic semester. Over the weekend, students gathered on campuses, reviving slogans from nationwide protests against Iran’s clerical leadership that peaked earlier this year.

On Monday, videos verified by AFP showed students at a university in Tehran setting fire to the Iranian flag adopted after the 1979 Islamic Revolution.

The latest unrest traces back to protests that began in December over worsening economic conditions in the sanctions-hit country, later expanding into nationwide demonstrations that reached a peak in early January. The protests were met with a heavy government crackdown, marking one of the most serious challenges to Iran’s leadership in years.

A US-based rights group has reported more than 7,000 deaths linked to the unrest, warning the actual toll could be significantly higher. Iranian authorities, however, acknowledge more than 3,000 deaths, attributing the violence to what they describe as “terrorist acts” fuelled by the United States and Israel.

The protests continue to highlight deep tensions within Iranian society, as students and young people remain at the forefront of calls for political and economic change.