Iran: Latest Updates On Demonstrations

Josh Shahryar brings us the latest news about ongoing protests in and around Tehran and Sharif universities:

For the third day students in Tehran University and Sharif Industrial University of Tehran protested against the government. News reports of the protests were scarce on pro-reform websites, however, ironically, it was the other side that gave it away.

Hundreds – perhaps close to a thousand – students protested outside Tehran University, but were reportedly not attacked by security forces that were present in the hundreds. No video of the event emerged. However, there were videos to prove the protest in Sharif Industrial University.

There, the protesters mostly gathered near the gates and about a hundred also gathered inside a hall in the university. Numbers were lower than at Tehran University, but the anger was quite evident. Both at Sharif and Tehran universities, students loudly chanted against Ahmadinejad and Basijis.

But the main chants were demanding the release of students who were arrested two days ago from universities across the country. At the gates of Sharif University, students also sang Yaare Dabestani loudly – a patriotic song often used by reformists to evoke emotion. No report of protests from outside Tehran surfaced.

As mentioned before, news was scarce to come. But government-run news agency Fars News inadvertently became a witness to the events and published them on their website. However, both stories were quickly removed after the buzz on twitter.

Videos from Sharif University:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kv0C_hLhbmk[/youtube]

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fqsokBlLrPU[/youtube]

There were not immediate calls for more protests tomorrow, but the anger did not seem to subside. There were no arrests or clashes this time. I have also received more news about the events of December 7 which I will post in a very short brief with a new map on here. Check back in a couple of hours for that.