Students can protest, but must respect 'red lines', says Iran
What's the story
The Iranian government has permitted university students to protest, but with a caveat. Fatemeh Mohajerani, the government's spokeswoman, stressed that "sacred things and the flag are two examples of these red lines that we must protect and not cross or deviate from," according to France24. This comes after pro- and anti-government rallies erupted on campuses as a new semester began. The protests were reignited from nationwide demonstrations in January that resulted in a violent crackdown by authorities.
Protest timeline
Death toll from protests
The protests in Iran started in December over economic issues, but escalated into nationwide demonstrations on January 8 and 9. The US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) has reported over 7,000 deaths due to the unrest. However, Iranian officials admit to more than 3,000 deaths but attribute them to "terrorist acts" supported by the United States and Israel.
Government response
Students have 'wounds in their hearts': Mohajerani
Mohajerani acknowledged that students have "wounds in their hearts and have seen scenes that may upset and anger them; this anger is understandable." She also said a fact-finding mission is looking into "the causes and factors" of the protests and will release reports. The mission's purported aim is to understand the underlying reasons for the unrest among university students in Iran.
Warship deployment
Iran deploys own warship amid tensions with US
Even as the US has deployed two powerful strike groups to the Persian Gulf and amassed an array of military assets, including fighter jets in West Asia, Iran conducted joint naval drills with Russia in the Gulf of Oman and the Indian Ocean, including live missile exercises. Its multipurpose naval warship, Shahid Mahdavi, has returned home after completing a 57-day BRICS naval mission.