December 7, 2014; The Student Movement's Persistence on Demands

The events of December 7, 2014, took place in a climate of stagnation within universities. This year, the number and quality of programs were less than in 2013. However, given the prevailing inertia in society and the decline in political and social activities since the late 2000s, the relatively scattered activities of students seem acceptable. This assessment is based on the reality that, at least temporarily, students' inclination towards politics and critical collective actions has significantly decreased, and substantial changes in students' behavioral patterns seem likely, although it is still too early to make definitive judgments. In all major universities with large student populations, the December 7 ceremonies were held either by student organizations or university officials. Notable events took place at Iran University of Medical Sciences, Polytechnic, Science and Industry, University of Tehran, Noshirvani Babol, Shahid Beheshti, and other universities. The programs were mainly in the form of lectures and panel discussions and did not have the character of meetings or open forums. Consequently, this year's commemoration of December 7 lacked a movement-like atmosphere and was conducted within the conventional framework governing universities. However, what changed the situation contrary to the government's wishes were the slogans of some students in support of the symbolic leaders of the Green Movement and imprisoned students. Slogans such as 'Our friends are missing', 'Our message is clear, the house arrest must end', 'Ya Hussein, Mir Hussein', 'We are waiting for your promises to be fulfilled', 'The university is not a barrack, Mr. President', '1292 days have passed since the house arrest', 'Imprisoned students must be freed', 'Long live reforms, long live Mousavi', 'Greetings to Khatami, greetings to Rouhani' dominated all student programs. Opponents' slogans, including 'Death to sedition', 'We do not want an American Islamic Association', did not resonate with the majority and once again highlighted the minority status of government-supporting student organizations within the student population of the country. The chanting of slogans in support of lifting the house arrest of Mousavi, Karroubi, and Rahnavard, reforms, and political development clarified that even in the conditions of stagnation of the student movement, the main demands remain unchanged, and the struggle against autocracy, the denial of despotism, the improvement of human rights, and political openings are still the main demands of students. This event also demonstrated that students remain loyal to the tradition of university enlightenment and support for the Green Movement, and their insistence on lifting the house arrest in the presence of Hassan Rouhani led him to emphasize that he remains steadfast in his commitments to the academic community and that their pact is unbreakable. This event represents a significant defeat and failure for the leadership and the dominant power structure, which, despite the atmosphere of repression and various measures against the Green Movement and the narrative surrounding 'sedition', still sees the presence of the symbolic leaders of the Green Movement in universities as prominent, and their release from house arrest is at the forefront of the demands of students and academics. Furthermore, the failure of the one-dimensional project to shape students in the scientific domain aligned with government programs was evident, as students showed that alongside acquiring expertise and knowledge, they value their social mission and collective action for participation in determining their fate and transformation in the country. Another outcome of December 7, 2014, is the continuation of the radical approach of the student movement in the political arena, which operates outside the framework of conservative reformism and cautious views within the opposition movements to the current situation. In fact, if the police atmosphere in universities completely dissipates and the change in the behavioral patterns of the new generation of students is temporary and incidental, the student movement will, after a while, continue its previous political orientation to a considerable extent. The prevention of speeches by some extremist conservative figures such as Hossein Shariatmadari, Hamid Rasai, Nobavian, and Mir Tajeddini was another characteristic of this year's December 7 ceremony. However, conservative figures like Gholamali Haddad Adel, Saeed Jalili, and Mehrdad Bazrpash were present. Additionally, Fa'ezeh Hashemi was not allowed to speak at Azad University. The most newsworthy program occurred at Iran University of Medical Sciences during Hassan Rouhani's second appearance as president. This time, Rouhani preferred to attend a university that falls under the Ministry of Health and Treatment and is not supervised by the Ministry of Science. Iran University of Medical Sciences does not have the same level of student activism and participation as the top universities in Iran. Therefore, Rouhani was expected to attend universities that hold a more prominent position in the student movement of the country to better fulfill his claim of listening to students' voices. The program did not have a completely natural atmosphere, and students were only able to attend the hall in limited numbers. Parts of the hall's capacity were already filled. The organizers selected representatives from various professional, scientific, ideological, and artistic organizations to speak. In a strange and unacceptable move, they did not give the podium to recognized student activists and political-student organizations. According to Dr. Mohammad Reza Davoodabadi Farahani, representatives from four organizations, including the Islamic Society, Independent Islamic Associations, Justice-Seeking Student Movement, and the Office for Consolidating Unity of the Shiraz faction, along with the Student Basij, which constitutes five conservative organizations, were invited to express their views before the president. However, they refused to speak even when the opportunity was given to three of them because everyone wanted to speak. These government-affiliated groups claimed that they did not speak due to a lack of time. The Student Basij of Iran University of Medical Sciences also withdrew. Ultimately, all student organizations aligned with conservatives and paramilitary groups adopted a boycott strategy, although some of their members attended the program. Student activists from various fields, including professional, social, ideological, scientific, and artistic, all complained about budget shortages. A representative from the artistic and cultural associations of the university stated that the face of Iranian society is still burning from acid. A representative from the student councils highlighted concerns about the spread of despair among students and the unemployment problem among university graduates. A representative from Azad University also reminded the president that their vote for him stemmed from dissatisfaction with the eight-year management of Ahmadinejad and the prevailing views of that era, but those who still see universities as a threat are still in control. The statements of all the students who spoke had a critical approach towards the performance of the eleventh government and the overall regime. However, the prevailing atmosphere in universities still leans towards critical support for Rouhani's government. This year's December 7 ceremony showed a noticeable difference from last year at Shahid Beheshti University and reflected a kind of regression in terms of adopting positions. Comparing Rouhani's statements in the two programs strengthens the perception that his claimed capacity for transformation in political and cultural spheres is diminishing. Rouhani did not present an encouraging outlook in his remarks. He attempted to keep students and academics hopeful by reiterating generalities regarding his commitment to his promises. He also stated that Mohammad Farhadi, the Minister of Science, would follow the path of previous managers, including Faraji Dana and Tofighi. The coming days will reveal how much Rouhani's claims align with reality. However, the outcome of his relationship with the student movement will depend on the degree of realization of the demands of the academic community. He cannot satisfy students and academics with vague and general promises without taking practical steps.