Protests at Iranian universities continue as Trump weighs military strikes

Students held demonstrations at several Iranian universities while the US has increased its military presence in the region amid ongoing nuclear talks between Tehran and Washington.

Students at multiple Iranian universities held demonstrations on the first day of the new semester, and some gatherings marked people killed during earlier unrest. Footage and reports described clashes near Sharif University of Technology and limits on campus access at some institutions. The events occurred as the United States increased its military presence in the region and diplomatic talks over Iran's nuclear programme continued. Iranian officials have given mixed signals about negotiations, with one leader calling recent contacts "encouraging" and other officials saying divisions remain. Key points: - Protests were reported at several campuses, including University of Tehran, Beheshti, Amirkabir, Elm-o-Sanat, Khajeh Nasir, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, and Sharif University of Technology. - Reports noted slogans critical of Iran's leadership and calls for "Woman, Life, Freedom." - Sharif University announced that several students were banned from entry for "violating university norms." - The United States has increased military deployments in the region amid discussion of possible strikes and previous statements from former US President Donald Trump about intervening. - Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian described recent negotiations with the US as showing "encouraging signals," while a senior Iranian official said both sides remain sharply divided after two rounds of talks. - The US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) reported that more than 7,000 people were killed during earlier protests. Summary: The campus demonstrations add to domestic tensions in Iran and take place against a backdrop of heightened regional military activity and ongoing diplomatic talks. Undetermined at this time.