IRAN: Protesters cause damage at Tehran University

An "illegal splinter group" of an Iranian student body caused damage and clashed with security personnel during a gathering at Tehran University last weekend, the official IRNA news agency reported. Pictures obtained by Reuters showed hundreds of people gathered at the university in the centre of the Iranian capital, some carrying pro-democracy banners.

One photograph showed some demonstrators tearing down a metal gate at the university, one of the oldest campuses in Iran. IRNA called those who gathered a "limited group" and said they had attacked the university's western entrance gate.

Student protests have been relatively rare in recent years in Iran. Liberal-minded students and academics have criticised President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad for clamping down on dissent on campuses. The president and his government say they support free speech and welcome constructive opposition.
Full report on the Reuters site