Six sculpture teachers at Tehran University of Arts have been dismissed for supporting nationwide protests against the Islamic Republic.

Mohammad Hossein Emad, Hamid Shans, Iman Afsarian, Pooya Arianpour, Bijan Ghonchepour and Rasoul Akbarlou, are among a wave of sackings and suspensions which come as crackdowns against uprising supporters continue across the country.

During the nationwide protests in Iran following the death in custody of Mahsa Amini, universities have been one of the main hubs of protests with hundreds of students being arrested, in addition to targeted poisoning attacks as the regime sought new means of suppressing unrest.

Meanwhile, in solidarity with their teachers, students at the institution have said they will boycott classes in protest while a number of fellow sculpture professors also supported the action by publishing a statement and refusing to teach.

Back in February, 120 students and graduates of Tehran University of Arts protested the suspension of professors by publishing an open letter. Addressing the dean of the University of Arts, they expressed anger over the suspension of two faculty members, Amir Maziar and Korush Golnari.

The regime continues to deny such dismissals and suspensions relating to the ongoing political unrest.Morteza Farrokhi, the Legal Deputy of Science Ministry stated in February that "if there are any cases of dismissal, it has been due to their academic incompetence."