Chants of “Hey hey, ho ho, Ayatollah must go” echoed across Krentzman Quad Jan. 16 as more than 40 protesters demanded the U.S. military intervene to remove Iran’s supreme leader from power, citing a government crackdown on protests in Iran that have killed at least 5,000 people.
Organized by the Iranian Student Association of Northeastern University, or ISAN, the protest called upon the U.S. government to take military action to remove Iran’s leader Ayatollah Khamenei.
Protesters waved pre-1979 Iranian revolution flags and chanted slogans calling for regime change. Solemn-faced students and community members held signs reading “Down with the dictator! Down with Khamenei!” and “Be our voice; Iran revolution.” Energy pulsed through the crowd as organizers led chants of “From Boston to Tehran, change the regime in Iran.”
Khamenei’s current regime has violently suppressed any signs of revolt since the 1980s. In 2022, protests broke out in the country in response to the murder of Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old woman who refused to obey Iran’s hijab mandate, and were met with a harsh security crackdown that left at least 500 individuals dead.
The recent crisis in Iran began Dec. 28, when civil unrest erupted in multiple cities over the rising prices of essential goods. The Iranian government has been severely restricting internet access in the country since Jan. 8, a measure taken to hide evidence and prevent communication between Iran and the outside world. One Iranian health ministry official stated that about 3,000 protesters had been killed by Iranian forces, but other sources inside Iran claim the number could be as high as 20,000.
“This is not something that has not happened in Iran before,” said one electrical engineering doctoral student, who requested anonymity due to fear of retaliation from the Iranian government if they return to the country. “We have gathered here today because of the recent brutal massacre of our people during the last protest.”
Other students also noted the severity of the most recent crackdown, explaining the importance of advocating for action from the U.S. military.
“The Islamic regime has answered people, innocent people, with bullets,” said a student who requested to be anonymous due to fear of retaliation from the Iranian government. At the protest, she spoke on behalf of ISAN.
The protesters had one main demand: to call on the U.S. military to intervene.
“What we’re trying to do is ask for help, for foreign aid, for the U.S. to intervene and help us to bring this regime down,” the anonymous doctoral student said.
The student noted that asking for the U.S. to intervene in the country is extraordinary, showing the urgency of the situation.
“What would have [to happen] to you as a person that you would actively ask for a foreign country to invade yours?” they added.
Northeastern protesters said they specifically wanted the U.S. military to strike regime centers in Iran, not send U.S. soldiers directly to the country.
“We are asking you to attack our country because our country is being occupied by Islamic fascists,” the anonymous ISAN speaker said. “Military intervention means no boots on the ground but striking the regime centers.”
Some Iranians feel that U.S. military intervention would turn them into pawns in a greater international conflict and escalate tensions in the region. However, protesters argued that decades of failed reform efforts and violent crackdowns have left the country with few alternatives.
The organizers stressed the importance of taking action as civilians, passing out pamphlets that outlined steps individuals can take. The pamphlets explained the situation in Iran and encouraged onlookers to share verified news, contact their representatives, support human rights organizations, attend protests and educate others.
“I’m actually posting, tweeting, I’m emailing people. I’m giving direct messages to journalists, to the president himself, to many senators,” said Fatemeh, a Northeastern student who asked for only their first name to be used due to fear of retaliation from the Iranian government. “If a lot of people do that, they will listen, they will hear our voice and they will take action.”
If a military intervention were successful, several attendees hoped that Reza Pahlavi, the exiled son of Iran’s last shah, would step up to lead the country.
“Having Reza Pahlavi as somebody who can lead us — with the plans and the vision that he has been creating for a secular, democratic Iran — we can actually get to a better future,” the anonymous doctoral student said.
Protesters stressed the importance of remembering the beauty and integrity of Iran and its people despite the tragedies facing the nation, adding that most Iranians in the country are demonstrating for women’s rights, economic relief and human dignity. The doctoral student spoke of Iran’s ancient history, colorful architecture and people.
“We have a lot more to give to the outside world than we are currently able to,” the doctoral student said.
Editor’s note: This article was updated at 10:15 p.m. Jan. 28 to remove the first name of a student who feared retaliation from the Iranian government.
