Iran’s universities have long been a battleground, where protests happen and students fight for the future
- Written by Pardis Mahdavi, Professor of Anthropology, University of La Verne; University of California, Berkeley
Anti-government Iranian protesters rally on Jan. 8, 2026, in Tehran. Anonymous/Getty ImagesIran’s current wave of protests continues to spread across the country, as the United States weighs military intervention. Meanwhile, many Iranian people continue to struggle to pay for basic necessities amid a collapsing currency.

