Iranian Students Protest Alleged Militia Assault

8 November 2004 -- Hundreds of Iranian students and teachers rallied at one of Tehran's main universities today, protesting an assault on a professor allegedly carried out by hard-line militiamen.

The protests came after members of the student Basij militia last week reportedly assaulted the head of Tehran's Elm-o-Sanaat university following what militia members said was an unauthorized speech by an Iranian dissident.

Demonstrators today called on authorities to clear student militias from universities. Some also called for the resignation of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's representative at the university where the assault allegedly occurred.

The student militia denies any involvement of its members in the alleged incident.

(AFP)