The head of the Faculty of Social Sciences at the University of Tehran is facing backlash after a video was published showing him attacking and insulting students.

Gholamreza Jamshidiha claims male and female students were "kissing" and "shaking hands". Jamshidiha said on Wednesday that, "When I saw female and male students shaking hands and kissing each other as if this is not a university, I got angry and upset."

He went on to add, "Perhaps I said something in anger, and the students wanted me to apologize to them. I told them I don't apologize to you. The student who had violated the rules actually had no objection, but other students supported the situation. They gathered in front of my office and chanted slogans in protest."

Iran's Student Union Council reported that a group of students from the faculty visited the university's administrative office to retrieve their disciplined friend’s ID card after learning about the alleged kissing incident. In the initial confrontation, Jamshidiha insulted and physically attacked the students in the presence of several staff members and board members, shouting, "I came here today to fight!" He used offensive language, referring to the faculty as a "brothel" and the students as "prostitutes," even threatening to expel them.

The incident comes amidst high tensions between students and pro-regime staff and security apparatus. However, the recent skirmish is unprecedented, seeing the head of a faculty engaging in such insulting and threatening behavior towards students.