Iran has threatened to target US and Israeli universities after it accused the countries of “deliberately” attacking “many universities and research centres” during the war. The warning was issued in a statement carried by Tasnim News Agency, citing Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), which said universities linked to the United States and Israel in the region were now considered “legitimate targets”.
Iran’s foreign ministry spokesman, Esmail Baghaei, accused the US and Israel of “deliberately” targeting “many universities and research centres” across Iran. He cited strikes on Isfahan University of Technology and Iran University of Science and Technology.
In a post on X, Baghaei said the attacks were aimed at undermining Iran’s “scientific foundation and cultural heritage by systematically targeting universities, research centers, historical monuments, and prominent scientists”. He added that US and Israeli claims of countering Iran’s nuclear programme were “nothing but vicious pretexts” and “mere fabrications designed to conceal their real intention”.
Iranian media reported that the University of Science and Technology in Tehran was among the sites struck during recent attacks. Mehr News Agency said the institution had been hit, although there has been no official confirmation of casualties or the extent of the damage.
The Israeli military has said it launched a new wave of strikes on Tehran as part of joint operations with the United States. According to Iranian reports, Saeed Shemkadri, a faculty member in the university’s electrical engineering department, was killed when his home was targeted on 23 March.
Casualties of Iran War
The conflict involving US, Israel and Iran, which has gone onto engulf the entire Middle Eastern region has dragged on for a month now and the fighting that began on February 28 has resulted in thousands of deaths and millions getting displaced.
