Iranian university students refusing to trample American and Israeli flags. Photo: Twitter screenshot.

Video emerged on Sunday of students at Beheshti University of Tehran refusing to trample on American and Israeli flags as mass protests over the weekend threatened the stability of the ruling Iranian regime.

Trampling or burning US or Israeli flags is a common method of incitement used by the Islamic Republic. The students’ refusal to do so is in keeping with recent demonstrations, which have called for the resignation of Iran’s supreme leader, among other demands and grievances.

In a tweet by popular social media activist and dissident @mamlekate, the clip was shown with the text: “Today, the crowd in an Iranian university refused to trample US and Israel flag #LoveBeyondFlags. These IR ideologies, like forced hijab, are falling one by one.”

https://twitter.com/mamlekate/status/1216293738760351744

In response, Karim Sadjadpour, a Senior Fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, tweeted, “These same Iranian students are often shocked when they continue their studies in the West and encounter professors who praise the Iranian regime’s hatred of America and opposition to Israel’s existence.”

“Anti-imperialism is most fun when you don’t have to live under it,” he asserted.

https://twitter.com/ksadjadpour/status/1216341914368249856

Support for the protesters has been spreading on social media, with US President Donald Trump tweeting in Persian: “To the brave and suffering Iranian people: I have stood with you since the beginning of my presidency and my government will continue to stand with you.”

“We are following your protests closely,” the president added. “Your courage is inspiring.”

Saeed Ghasseminejad, the Senior Advisor and Financial Economist at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, noted, “This tweet by @realDonaldTrump with more than 100k likes is already the most liked Persian tweet in the history of Twitter.”

“A strong show of support by Iranians for Trump’s Iran policy, something the MSM does not and will not report,” he said.

https://twitter.com/SGhasseminejad/status/1216131659986325504

The watchdog group MEMRI tweeted a second video of the incident, and noted the students were booing those who did tread on the flags and shouting, “You have no honor!”

https://twitter.com/MEMRIReports/status/1216358709892407297