Thousands of Iranian Students Take to the Streets in 20+ Cities Over Educational Inequality

Thousands of high school students and university entrance exam applicants gathered in cities across Iran to protest a controversial admissions policy. Demonstrators say the measure deepens educational inequality and disadvantages students from poorer regions.

On Saturday, June 6, 2026, various parts of Iran witnessed scattered but coordinated protest gatherings by high school students and applicants for the national university entrance exam. In these demonstrations, which took place in at least 20 large and small cities across the country, thousands of teenagers gathered outside education department offices and governorates, demanding the immediate cancellation of the policy granting a decisive impact to high school grades in university admissions.

These Iran student protests have largely been organized by members of Generation Z, born in the 2000s and 2010s. The movement has gained renewed momentum following the partial reopening of internet access after months of severe restrictions. Tehran, Mashhad, Isfahan, Shiraz, Karaj, Arak, Rasht, Sari, Khorramabad, Qom, Tabriz, Kermanshah, and Yazd were among the main centers where hundreds of students gathered, describing the new education policies as a form of “class discrimination.”

Paid Schools Seeking a Greater Share of University Seats

Under a resolution passed by Iran’s Supreme Council of the Cultural Revolution, final high school examination scores now play a decisive and binding role in university admissions.

Protesters argue that because the quality of education in underprivileged areas and public schools is significantly lower than in private and elite schools in major cities, the policy effectively destroys the chances of less privileged students gaining admission to public universities.

Participants in the demonstrations chanted slogans including “Students may die, but they will not accept humiliation,” “Educational justice is our undeniable right,” and “Incompetent official, resign, resign,” demanding accountability from authorities.

One final-year student in Tehran who attended the gathering outside the ministry told our field reporter:

“This generation will not stay home because of repeated promises. We will not back down until we get results. How can they compare our grades, when we studied in a school with no facilities, to someone who spent millions of tomans on private tutors in northern Tehran? This is not justice; it is the theft of our future.”

At the same time, in Khorramabad, a parent accompanying their child at a gathering outside the governor’s office told observers:

“Our voices got nowhere through letters and petitions. Our children are being crushed under the pressure of the entrance exam and now the final exams as well, while their school does not even have a proper cooling system.”

Clashes in Mashhad and Yazd; A Harsh Response to Educational Demands

Reports received from Mashhad indicate that the atmosphere outside the city’s General Department of Education turned violent.

Eyewitnesses told Iran News Wire that security forces initially directed students into the courtyard of the building and then, after closing the gates, proceeded to detain a number of the teenagers.

In Yazd and Qom, reports also emerged of physical confrontations involving plainclothes agents and the detention of at least one student.

On the other side, Iran’s Minister of Education, Alireza Kazemi, took a hardline position despite the protests and ongoing crises such as repeated power outages. He stated:

“Final examinations are a legal policy of the system and must be conducted in person and under all circumstances. No changes will be made to the process of applying academic records.”

Officials Dig In as Protesters Vow to Continue

The firm stance adopted by officials toward the protesters’ demands, at a time when society is already facing a severe economic crisis, has created significant potential for these educational demonstrations to develop into a broader social and security challenge.

In a brief statement, organizers of the gatherings warned that if the policy is not reconsidered, they will continue holding demonstrations on a daily basis.