Mithra (Lion and Sun Foundation) stood with ISAD at the University of Twente in solidarity with the students of Iran — joining a global movement of 41 universities calling for regime change and freedom for the Iranian people.
In January 2026, Iran rose again. This was not a protest confined to one group, one city, or one cause. It was a nation awakening — Iranians from every walk of life, every generation, every background, declaring with one voice that they have had enough. What began as an uprising quickly grew into something far greater: a revolution.
People poured into the streets peacefully, chanting for the one thing that has been denied to them for decades — their freedom. And this time, something was different. This time, the people stood unified under the leadership of His Imperial Highness Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi. Across the country, voices rose together: “Javid Shah” — Long Live the King — and “This is the final battle; the Pahlavi shall return.”
When the Crown Prince called the nation to action on the 7th and 8th of January, Iran answered. Millions took to the streets, from the largest cities to the smallest towns, in one of the most extraordinary peaceful demonstrations the country has ever seen.
The regime’s response was savage.
Unarmed civilians were set on fire. Protesters were shot in the head at point-blank range. Bodies disappeared. Bags of the dead piled up in places no family should ever have to search. The streets carried the smell of blood.
And yet — Iran did not break.
The regime suppressed them brutally. But it did not stop them.
In the face of terror, the people answered with a courage that defies words. On the 22nd of February, students rose. At Amir Kabir University (AUT), at Sharif University (Aryamehr), and at campuses across Iran, young Iranians gathered, raised the true flag of Iran — the Lion and the Sun — and chanted against the dictatorship. They called the name of Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi. They reclaimed their identity, their history, and their future.
They were brutally suppressed.
Once again, the cruelty only sparked something greater. In diaspora, to support suppressed Iranian students.
On the 27th of February, the Iranian Student Association for Democracy (ISAD) launched a global movement of solidarity, calling on universities around the world to stand with the students of Iran. 41 universities joined.
We at Mithra (Lion and Sun Foundation - Netherlands) proudly stood with ISAD. We gathered in the O&O Square at the University of Twente, side by side with our fellow students, to make sure that the voices rising from Tehran, Tabriz, Isfahan, and beyond would be heard in the Netherlands and across the world.
This united movement — from the streets of Iran to the courtyards of universities worldwide — carries three clear messages, the same messages echoing from every protester and every student:
Regime change in Iran.
Recognition of Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi as the leader of this revolution.
A call to the international community for meaningful support and intervention — because a people standing bare-handed cannot, alone, withstand the killing machine of a brutal regime.
Iran is rising. The Iranian diaspora is rising and history is watching.
