Iran’s Student Union Council says 435 students have been suspended or expelled following the recent protests across the country.

In a statement on Tuesday, the Council stated that "A significant number of students have received suspension and expulsion orders through an illegal process."

Iran's student movement gained momentum last year amid the "Woman, Life, Freedom" protests following the death in custody of Mahsa Amini. Universities were the scene of large anti-regime demonstrations.

According to the US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA), 637 students from 144 universities have been arrested since mid-September.

Some sources inside Iran have also announced that the number of detained students is more than 700.

Last week, the ministry of higher education said institutions under its coverage will no longer offer educational and other services to students who do not abide by hijab rules.

“All universities and higher education institutions under the coverage of the ministry of sciences, research and technology will not be obliged to offer educational, welfare and other services to the few students who do not abide by the laws and regulations of the universities in this regard,” the ministry said in the statement Monday.

An ever-increasing number of women and university students have been casting off their compulsory hijab since the beginning of the “Woman, Life, Freedom” movement seven months ago but hardliners are now taking a much more aggressive approach to punish and them and enforce the Islamic dress code.