[throwaway2202]

Maybe basij in theory was meant to be representative, in practice at best representative of 10% of students in a technical university. Maybe even 15 some place. But at some building at sharif, easier to detect gravitational waves.

To give benefit of the doubt, one may attend one of the social science universities focused on religious studies, where basij is more representative or actually is, and extend this to sharif. But those universities are not representative of all universities, even assuming they don’t have alternative criteria for admission. I am not sure but I think they do.

It’s far easier to communicate to conservatives and seculars and everyone really that this disturbance is backed by foreign states (as it is their official public policy), than to make an inaccurate claim that alienates one’s cause, whatever that is. If religion to protect one’s country, could be reason to be moderate.