Iran boosts security presence as university students protest hijab rules and tuition hikes
Iranian security forces have increased checkpoints, patrols and deployments in Tehran and other cities amid renewed student demonstrations over compulsory hijab, rising education costs and political repression.
Security forces in Iran have intensified their presence in Tehran and several other cities, deploying motorcycle patrols, checkpoints and units of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), Basij militia and police ahead of potential unrest, according to multiple sources inside the country. The buildup coincides with renewed street protests by university students who have gathered to demand the repeal of compulsory hijab rules, lower tuition and living-costs, and an end to political repression. Video footage shared by Iran International showed students at Allameh Tabataba’i University chanting against the morality police and calling for reforms.
Sources said the security units have been stopping pedestrians, searching individuals and examining mobile phones for material deemed "anti-regime." One source described motorcyclists photographing shops and Basij members being placed on alert at educational facilities on the outskirts of Tehran. Similar measures were reported in other cities, though the visibility of forces varied, with plain-clothes agents more common outside the capital.
The National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) alleged that the government ordered a "100%" state of readiness for the army, IRGC, Basij and law-enforcement agencies and cancelled leave for personnel through Sept. 27, claiming that about 51,000 security personnel have been deployed in Greater Tehran. Fox News Digital could not independently verify those figures.
Iranian journalist Mehdi Ghadimi, who lives abroad, said he had received reports of new checkpoints, heightened military alertness and the mobilization of civilians previously trained for urban repression. He added that some detainees were charged with espionage for contacting people outside Iran and that individuals with serious criminal records were released from prison in exchange for assisting Basij units.
The protests also follow reports that a new compulsory-hijab directive for universities is being drafted by the office of the supreme leader. Meanwhile, IRGC spokesman Hossein Mohebbi criticized the United States in a press conference, calling for pressure on the American administration, as indirect diplomatic contacts continue.
Analysts note that the combination of visible security preparations and renewed demonstrations has sparked speculation about the possibility of broader unrest in Iran.