Widespread Reactions to the Killing of Amir Mohammad Khalighi; Protests Against Student Repression

As protests continue, Amir Mohammad Khalighi was buried on Saturday in his hometown of 'Darmian' in South Khorasan Province. Reports indicate that 19-year-old Amir Mohammad Khalighi, a business management student at the University of Tehran, lost his life on Wednesday night due to knife wounds inflicted by robbers near the university. His death has sparked widespread reactions in Iran, with students at the University of Tehran holding protests for three consecutive days. Hussein Simayi Sarraf, Iran's Minister of Science, apologized following the widespread student protests. He also claimed that no one was arrested during the student gathering on Friday night at the university campus. This claim comes amid reports of tensions arising during the student protests due to the intervention of plainclothes agents and the arrest of several students. Masoud Pezeshkian, Iran's President, has instructed the Minister of Science to promptly address this case and the students' protests. In this context, Mohammad Zareh Chahouki, the head of dormitories at the University of Tehran, resigned on Saturday. Students hold him primarily responsible for the tragedy of Amir Mohammad Khalighi's death. Students at the University of Tehran also protested against the reformist faction's attempts to politically exploit Amir Mohammad Khalighi's murder. Ali Salehi, the Tehran prosecutor, claimed that suspects related to the murder of this student have been arrested. As the protests by students at the University of Tehran continue, several other universities have supported them. Students at Amir Kabir University (Polytechnic of Tehran) condemned the repression of student protests in a statement, asserting that they will not remain silent in the face of repression and the disregard for students' rights. According to the Amir Kabir newsletter's Telegram channel, four students who were arrested during the past two days of protests were temporarily released today due to the insistence of their peers. However, people and political and religious figures have also reacted widely to the killing of Amir Mohammad Khalighi. Prince Reza Pahlavi described the murder of Amir Mohammad Khalighi and the violence against protesting students at the University of Tehran as indicative of the Islamic Republic's incompetence in ensuring the security of the nation. Molavi Abdolhamid, the Friday prayer leader of Zahedan, called for immediate and serious follow-up regarding the murder of this Sunni student in a message. Additionally, Narges Mohammadi, a Nobel Peace Prize laureate and human rights activist, called for public support for the students on social media. Political activist Hossein Ronaghi wrote on the social media platform X: 'The blood that is shed cannot be wiped away by anything.' Given the widespread reactions and the ongoing protests by students at the University of Tehran, many believe that concerns over the expansion of protests have compelled government officials to respond, and that they are attempting to prevent further protests by promising to address the issue. The continuation of protests by students at the University of Tehran: 'Today, if you don't shout, tomorrow it will be you.' Images from the funeral of Amir Mohammad Khalighi, the slain University of Tehran student. Protests by students at the University of Tehran: Officials must be held accountable. The minister's apology and the resignation of the dormitory director; students continued their protests. Temporary release of four University of Tehran students. Some of those arrested during the protests on February 25 in Tehran remain imprisoned. Deployment of government forces in central Tehran and 'widespread arrests' of protesters.