Iranian Protesters Call for ‘Referendum’

High school students removing their hijabs in Tehran (Twitter)
High school students removing their hijabs in Tehran (Twitter)
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Iranian Protesters Call for ‘Referendum’

High school students removing their hijabs in Tehran (Twitter)
High school students removing their hijabs in Tehran (Twitter)

University students in Iran are calling for a “referendum” at anti-regime rallies that have been sweeping the nation for the 18th day in a row. Schoolchildren joined these demonstrations and teachers and merchants have shown solidarity by going on strike in some provinces.

“Referendum…Referendum… This is the people's motto!” chanted demonstrators at the Ferdowsi University of Mashhad.

They also used slogans condemning the riot police’s raiding of the Sharif University of Technology in Tehran.

Universities across Iran are witnessing anti-government protests that had erupted following the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini in the custody of Iran’s morality police.

Despite authorities cracking down on protesters, demonstrations spilled to other universities in Tehran, Urima, Mashhad and Ardabil. Students continued to organize sit-ins on Tuesday.

Education Ministry efforts failed in quelling student masses who were not only demonstrating against the oppressive regime but were also urging authorities to release their fellow protesters arrested over the last two weeks.

Although protests initially broke out against Iran’s compulsory hijab law, they spiraled into full-blown anti-regime demonstrations.

“We don’t want the Islamic Republic,” chanted demonstrators in Mashhad on Monday evening.

“The killing of protesters in Iran, especially in Zahedan, amounts to crimes against humanity. The international community has a duty to investigate this crime and prevent further crimes from being committed by the Islamic Republic,” said Iran Human Rights Director Mahmood Amiry-Moghaddam.

According to information obtained by Iran Human Rights, at least 154 people have been killed in the nationwide protests. At least nine are believed to have been under 18 years of age.

Most killings have been reported in Sistan and Baluchistan, Mazandaran, Gilan and West Azerbaijan, said the organization.

The number of confirmed deaths in Zahedan's bloody Friday has also risen to at least 63.



Iran Media: Russian Rocket Puts Iran Satellite into Space

A Soyuz-2.1b rocket booster with a Fregat upper stage, carrying two Ionosfera-M satellites and 18 payloads, including Iran's Nahid-2 telecommunications satellite, blasts off from its launchpad at the Vostochny Cosmodrome in the far-eastern Amur region, Russia July 25, 2025. Roscosmos/Ivan Timoshenko/Handout via REUTERS
A Soyuz-2.1b rocket booster with a Fregat upper stage, carrying two Ionosfera-M satellites and 18 payloads, including Iran's Nahid-2 telecommunications satellite, blasts off from its launchpad at the Vostochny Cosmodrome in the far-eastern Amur region, Russia July 25, 2025. Roscosmos/Ivan Timoshenko/Handout via REUTERS
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Iran Media: Russian Rocket Puts Iran Satellite into Space

A Soyuz-2.1b rocket booster with a Fregat upper stage, carrying two Ionosfera-M satellites and 18 payloads, including Iran's Nahid-2 telecommunications satellite, blasts off from its launchpad at the Vostochny Cosmodrome in the far-eastern Amur region, Russia July 25, 2025. Roscosmos/Ivan Timoshenko/Handout via REUTERS
A Soyuz-2.1b rocket booster with a Fregat upper stage, carrying two Ionosfera-M satellites and 18 payloads, including Iran's Nahid-2 telecommunications satellite, blasts off from its launchpad at the Vostochny Cosmodrome in the far-eastern Amur region, Russia July 25, 2025. Roscosmos/Ivan Timoshenko/Handout via REUTERS

A Russian rocket put an Iranian communications satellite into space on Friday, Iranian state media reported, the latest achievement for an aerospace program that has long concerned Western governments.

"The Nahid-2 communications satellite was launched from Russia's Vostochny Cosmodrome using a Soyuz rocket," state television said.

Weighing 110 kilograms (over 240 pounds), the satellite was designed and manufactured by Iranian engineers, the broadcaster added.

Western governments have long expressed concern that technological advances made in Iran's space program can also be used to upgrade its ballistic missile arsenal, AFP reported.

The launch was announced shortly before nuclear talks between Iran and Britain, France and Germany opened in Istanbul.

In December, Iran announced it had put its heaviest payload to date into space, using a domestically manufactured satellite carrier.

In September, Iran said it had put the Chamran-1 research satellite into orbit using the Ghaem-100 carrier, which is produced by the Revolutionary Guards' aerospace division.