Demonstrations across Iran, initially sparked by economic hardship and the sharp fall of the national currency, continued for a third day on Tuesday, drawing in university students as authorities deployed force and made multiple arrests.
Protests spread across Iran on Tuesday, with universities and commercial districts emerging as key hubs amid a widening strike by shopkeepers in Tehran and other cities.
Human rights and student groups said at least 11 protesters were arrested near Tehran’s Shoush Square.
Five students were also detained at universities in the capital, four of whom were later released.
Student outlets reported that one student at Tehran’s Amirkabir University was severely injured during a campus crackdown after members of the Basij militia of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps attacked their gathering.
Videos circulating on social media showed students chanting anti-government slogans, dismantling signs linked to the office of the Supreme Leader’s representatives and confronting security forces at campus gates.
In some clips, officers appeared to retreat as crowds advanced; in others, security forces were seen firing tear gas and, in several locations, shooting toward demonstrators.
The protests coincided with the government’s announcement that public offices would close in nearly 25 provinces, including the capital on Wednesday - a move officials said was necessary to conserve energy amid a severe cold snap. However, online weather data showed no significant drop in temperatures.
The unrest began Sunday after shopkeepers in several Tehran malls and later the Grand Bazaar launched a strike in response to the rial hitting a record low against the US dollar.
Since then, videos verified by Iran International have documented protests in Tehran, Karaj, Qeshm Island, Isfahan, Kermanshah, Shiraz, Yazd, Kerman and several other cities.
Government spokeswoman Fatemeh Mohajerani acknowledged widespread frustration, saying the protests reflected “intense economic pressure” and that peaceful assembly is recognized under Iran’s constitution.
President Masoud Pezeshkian said he instructed the interior minister to engage in dialogue with representatives of the demonstrators to hear their “legitimate” demands. He later attended a meeting with a handpicked group of trade officials on Tuesday.
Heavy security deployments were reported in Tehran, Mashhad, and Kermanshah, with residents describing checkpoints, constant patrols, and the presence of both uniformed and plainclothes officers.
In Hamadan, footage appeared to show security forces opening fire toward protesters, while riot police in Tehran and the nearby city of Malard used tear gas to disperse crowds.
Demonstrations were held on Tuesday night in several parts of Iran, and are expected to continue into a fourth day, with more Iranian businesses announcing on social media that they will close in solidarity with the movement.
