February 22, 2026
Campus chants, comment wars
Iran students stage first large anti-government protests since deadly crackdown
Students roar back, internet erupts: ‘foreign plot’ vs ‘people power’
TLDR: Students staged the first big anti-government protests since a deadly crackdown, as the U.S. hints at possible military action. Commenters are split between “foreign meddling déjà vu” and faith in non-violent resistance, with diaspora voices clashing over outside intervention—and memes mocking talk of “capitulation.”
Iranian students are back in the streets—and the comment sections are louder than the chants. Verified clips show huge crowds at top Tehran campuses shouting “death to the dictator,” with scuffles as government loyalists wave flags nearby. That alone would spark debate, but toss in U.S. military moves, Donald Trump teasing a strike “in 10 days,” and talks in Switzerland? The internet lit up like a fuse.
The hottest thread: history vs hope. One camp is convinced this is another Western-backed play, name-dropping the 1953 coup and calling the BBC a pawn, arguing “we’ve seen this movie before.” Others push a playbook of non-violent resistance, noting protests aim to “bait state overreaction” that exposes the regime. The diaspora split adds gasoline: some exiles cheer for a U.S. strike to topple the hardliners; others beg, “no more Iraq 2.0.”
It’s not all geopolitics—memes flew. Trump’s envoy asking why Iran hasn’t “capitulated” got dunked on as “Speedrun: Regime Change Any%.” Campus footage was dubbed “Final Boss: Midterms vs Riot Police,” and a dark-humor quip spread: “If talks ‘made progress,’ why does it sound like a countdown?” Under the jokes, the stakes are deadly serious: thousands killed in January’s crackdown, and students risking everything to be heard. Comments are the arena; the street, the scoreboard.
Key Points
- •Students held the first large-scale anti-government protests since January’s deadly crackdown at multiple Iranian universities.
- •BBC-verified footage showed marches and scuffles at Sharif University of Technology in Tehran; additional protests occurred at Shahid Beheshti, Amir Kabir, and in Mashhad.
- •Protesters chanted against Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and gathered to honor those reportedly killed last month.
- •US and Iranian officials reported progress in nuclear talks in Switzerland, while President Donald Trump said a decision between a deal or military action could come within about 10 days.
- •HRANA reported at least 7,015 confirmed deaths from January’s protests, while Iranian authorities claimed over 3,100 deaths, mostly security personnel or bystanders.