Protests triggered by Iran’s currency collapse and inflation have expanded onto university campuses, turning academic settings into centers of political demonstration. The spillover has put university leaders between protecting free expression and managing safety, international‑student concerns and interrupted research schedules. Campus administrators must now calibrate event permitting, emergency response and international office outreach while monitoring potential impacts on foreign‑national scholars and research collaborations. Universities with branch campuses or partnerships in affected regions face additional operational and travel risks. Higher‑education lawyers and public‑affairs teams will likely see increased demand as institutions balance obligations to protect speech with obligations to ensure campus safety and comply with export‑control and sanctions rules.