Photos and videos published on social media show that students at Tehran’s Azad University have gathered on Sunday for a second day in a row to demand the resignation of university officials in the wake of a deadly bus crash on December 25 that killed nine students and injured 28.
Student leaders read out their demands one-by-one and asked protesters to shout “Correct”, as an open and public vote. The most notable demand is the resignation of Ali Akbar Velayati, the head of the university’s board of directors, who is a close ally and advisor of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.
Police officials have confirmed that the university bus carrying student on the sprawling campus was a substandard vehicle, which should not have been on the road at all.
Meanwhile, the spokesman of parliament’s reformist faction has demanded a session on Tuesday to discuss the issue of Azad University in the presence of Dr. Velayati.
Some university officials have been fired from their posts but the students say this is not enough and just a ploy to shield more senior officials.
