Iranian Community at UH protest deadly crackdown on Iranian demonstrators – The Cougar

Members of the Iranian community at UH gathered in front of the M.D. Anderson Library on Jan. 29 to call for an end to the Islamic Republic of Iran and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, which they described as a terrorist organization responsible for violence against protesters in Iran.

Mechanical engineering PhD student and ICUH officer B.N. said the protest aimed to oppose the Islamic Republic and draw attention to what he described as the regime’s violent repression of Iranian citizens seeking basic rights and freedoms. His name is withheld to protect his identity.

“We are protesting against the Islamic Republic, or the IRGC, which is a terrorist group that is butchering our people who are protesting for their freedom, for their basic living needs,” B.N. said. “We hope that in the future, very soon, we will have a free Iran with democracy and justice.”

Protests have been reported across all 31 provinces of Iran for the past 35 days, with demonstrators opposing the Islamic regime and the country’s economic conditions.

The protests began Dec. 28 and initially focused on the collapse of Iran’s currency. By Jan. 8, Iran’s exiled crown prince Reza Pahlavi called for a nationwide protest. Tensions escalated, and witnesses told The Associated Press they saw tens of thousands of demonstrators flood the streets of Tehran, Iran’s capital. That same night, Cloudflare and NetBlocks reported an internet outage, which both companies attributed to interference by the Iranian government.

According to the Human Rights Activists News Agency, as of Jan. 31, 2026, at least 6,713 people have been killed. Of those deaths, 6,305 were protesters, including 137 who were under the age of 18. The number of injured citizens stands at 11,021. The organization verifies each death through a network of activists inside Iran.

“A lot of innocent people voicing their needs have been massacred, which is why this is so important to us,” B.N. said. “Over the past 20 days, Iran has been under a total internet shutdown, and we cannot communicate with people there. Iranian Americans can be the voice of the Iranian people. Our goal is to let the world know what is happening in Iran and encourage others to speak out.”

Students from the Iranian Community at the University of Houston protest the Iranian government on Thursday, Jan. 29, 2026 in Houston, Texas | Oscar Herrera/The Cougar

Sociology freshman Mahan said she saw the demonstration while walking toward the library. She said she had previously heard about a hunger strike held by Students for Justice in Palestine and supports public protests because they help students better understand global events. Mahan believes these events are crucial for students to be informed about the world.

“These protests are important for students because it broadens your horizon and gives you a different perspective,” Mahan said. “If you don’t know what’s going on in the world, this is a great opportunity to learn.”

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