Students from Tehran and Mashhad protested to commemorate the victims of the repression in January, demanding freedom and regime change.

On February 21, 2026, hundreds of students from Tehran and Mashhad took to the streets to commemorate the victims of the violent repression in January, which led to thousands of deaths. At Sharif University of Technology, the protests began peacefully but degenerated into confrontations with government supporters. The students shouted anti-government slogans such as "death to the dictator," referring to Ayatollah Khamenei. Similar demonstrations also took place at other universities in Tehran and in Mashhad, where young people demanded freedom and the defense of their rights.

While the death toll remains uncertain, activist organizations claim that over 6,100 people have died as a result of the repression. These protests occur in a tense international context, with threats from President Trump regarding a possible military intervention in Iran. The opposition in exile calls for military actions, while other groups reject external intervention. Campaigns on social media reflect the divisions and contradictions of the desires of the Iranian people.