Arian Mowafaqi

As a new wave of security pressures against students has emerged in various cities of Iran, messages received by Iran International indicate the detention of protesting teenagers in Borujerd, Izeh, and Rafsanjan; detentions that in some cases have been accompanied by serious charges such as 'Moharebeh' [1]. According to these reports, Arian Mowafaqi, a 17-year-old resident of Borujerd in Lorestan province, participated in protests on January 7, 2024. Six days later, on January 13, security agents visited his family's home and arrested him [1]. He was then transferred to Khorramabad Prison and faced the charge of 'Moharebeh'; a charge that can carry severe penalties under the laws of the Islamic Republic [1]. In Rafsanjan, a citizen told Iran International that a 15-year-old student was arrested at school for 'defending Mohammad Reza Shah' [1]. According to this source, the student was released after two days of detention, but after his release, he became silent and isolated, and 'does not speak at home at all' [1]. In Izeh, it has also been reported that Basij forces visited a public boys' school and took at least two students with them [1]. No further details about the identity or status of these students have been released. There is no precise statistic on the number of children and teenagers detained. However, the Coordinating Council of Iranian Teachers' Trade Unions had previously announced that during what has been termed the 'National Revolution of Iranians', 200 students were killed by the repressive forces of the Islamic Republic [1]. If this figure is independently verified, it presents a concerning picture of the scale of repression among the youth generation. These reports indicate an intensification of pressure on protesting students; pressure that ranges from short-term detentions to the imposition of serious charges against teenagers [1]. Sources in Persian: Report published by Iran International regarding the detention of students in Borujerd, Izeh, and Rafsanjan.