Thousands of students rallied across multiple Iranian universities on Saturday in the first large-scale campus demonstrations since a deadly government crackdown earlier this year, footage verified by the BBC shows.

Video from Sharif University of Technology in Tehran captured lines of students marching through the campus and later clashing with groups identified as government supporters. Reports indicate related gatherings took place at other universities in Tehran and in cities beyond the capital, where students assembled to honor those killed in last month’s confrontations with security forces.

The demonstrations mark a renewed flashpoint in a tense domestic climate. January’s suppression of unrest left scores dead and prompted widespread condemnation from rights groups and opposition circles inside and outside Iran. University campuses — long-standing hubs of political expression in the Islamic Republic — have in past months been focal points for student activism, and Saturday’s mobilizations signal a reactivation of that movement on a larger scale.

The campus protests come amid rising international pressure on Tehran. The United States has been increasing its military posture in the region, a buildup President Donald Trump has described as preparation for possible limited strikes. Trump said that within about 10 days the world would learn whether diplomacy would prevail or if the U.S. would resort to military action.

Diplomatic efforts have not stood still: U.S. and Iranian officials met in Switzerland earlier this week and reported progress in discussions intended to curb Iran’s nuclear program. Washington and European allies have expressed concern that Iran could be progressing toward a nuclear weapons capability — a charge Tehran consistently denies, insisting its nuclear activities are for peaceful purposes.

The convergence of domestic unrest and international tension underscores the fragility of both internal stability in Iran and the diplomatic environment surrounding its nuclear ambitions. Analysts say renewed campus activism could broaden public dissent and complicate Tehran’s political calculus, while the escalating U.S. military presence raises the stakes for any miscalculation that might spark a wider confrontation.

For now, students and university communities remain on edge, using campus gatherings to memorialize recent victims and press for accountability, even as global powers continue to maneuver over Iran’s nuclear future and regional security.