Why December 7, 1953, Remained Student Day

TEHRAN (Iran News) This incident, considered a turning point in the history of Iran’s student movement, not only symbolized resistance against tyranny and colonialism but also became a lasting emblem of students’ struggle for justice. In this article, I examine the historical roots, the event itself, its consequences, and the enduring significance of this occurrence in contemporary Iranian history.

After the overthrow of Prime Minister Mohammad Mossadegh in the coup of August 19, 1953—which was carried out with the collaboration of the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and British intelligence—the political climate in Iran became extremely repressive. The coup government, led by General Fazlollah Zahedi, aimed to consolidate Mohammad Reza Shah’s power and suppress dissent, systematically silencing all critical voices.

In response to this oppressive environment, nationalists and Mossadegh supporters formed the National Resistance Movement, whose goal was to politically oppose the coup regime. Within this movement, the students of the University of Tehran acted as an influential and operational arm, and universities became the central hubs of anti-government protests.

Protests leading up to December 7, 1953, were organized by students with the support of remnants of political parties and elements of the clergy. On October 7, 1953, large demonstrations were held in protest of Mossadegh’s trial. Additional protests occurred on November 12. These demonstrations demonstrated that the University of Tehran had become a center of resistance.

With the re-establishment of relations between Iran and the United Kingdom on December 5, 1953, the Zahedi government formally announced the resumption of political ties with Britain, which had been severed during Mossadegh’s premiership amid the nationalization of the oil industry. On the same day, Richard Nixon’s official visit to Iran was announced, which opponents interpreted as U.S. approval and gratitude for the coup government’s overthrow of the popular Mossadegh administration and the securing of Western interests in Iran.

On the morning of December 7, students entering the University of Tehran encountered an unusual scene: the campus was filled with soldiers and military personnel armed with weapons, signaling the regime’s readiness to suppress any protest. Understanding the sensitivity of the situation, the students cautiously attended their classes, avoiding any provocative actions.

In the early hours, military forces, under various pretexts, raided several faculties, including Medicine, Pharmacy, Law, and Sciences, assaulting and arresting numerous students and even some professors. As the situation worsened, the university administration decided to temporarily close the campus and asked students to leave.

During the peak of the clashes, as students were leaving the university, a group of soldiers attacked the Faculty of Engineering. The pretext for this assault was the protest of two civil engineering students against the presence of military personnel on campus. To arrest these students, the soldiers stormed the classroom of Professor “Shams.” When the professor protested, he was threatened with weapons and forced into silence.

During these confrontations, the military opened fire directly on unarmed students, resulting in the martyrdom of three students:

Mostafa Bozorgnia was killed by three bullets.

Mehdi Shariat-Razavi was initially wounded and then killed by a subsequent shot.

Ahmad Qandchi was severely wounded by a soldier’s machine-gun fire and transferred to a military hospital. However, hospital authorities refused to treat him, and he died 24 hours later.

Martyr Dr. Mostafa Chamran, who witnessed the event, wrote in his memoirs:

“The events of that day are so vividly imprinted in my mind as if I am seeing them with my own eyes. The sound of machine-gun fire echoes in my ears, the eerie silence after the gunfire shakes my body, and I hear the long, agonizing cries of the wounded amid this painful silence…”

While the University of Tehran remained occupied by military forces and a climate of fear prevailed on campus, Richard Nixon visited Iran and attended the University to receive an honorary doctorate in law. The image of Nixon receiving the honorary degree in a campus that had witnessed the martyrdom of three students only 24 hours earlier became a symbol of the Shah regime’s collaboration with colonial powers.

News of the incident spread rapidly in Tehran and other cities. On December 8, all universities in Tehran and many in other cities were on complete strike. Even many school students joined the protests by closing their schools. The event also drew international attention, with many universities in Europe and the U.S. expressing solidarity with the University of Tehran.

In a mocking action, just a few days after the incident, the 2nd Armored Division, in an official circular, praised the soldiers involved in the “mission” at the University of Tehran, awarding three of them the rank of second sergeant and four others the rank of corporal.

Fearing that the martyrs’ graves would become centers for opposition gatherings, the Shah regime opposed holding memorial ceremonies on the third and seventh nights after the martyrs’ deaths and even attempted to bury Ahmad Qandchi’s body separately from the other two. This was thwarted by the family’s secret transfer of his body to Imamzadeh Abdullah.

The Confederation of Iranian Students Abroad named this day “Student Day,” and from then on, students in Iran observed it annually through strikes and memorial ceremonies. After the Islamic Revolution, this day was officially recorded in Iran’s calendar as “Student Day” and has remained commemorated ever since.