Iran Accuses US and Israel of Targeting Its Academic Institutions Amid Rising Tensions

Iran's Allegations Against the US and Israel

Tehran: On Sunday, Iranian officials accused the United States and Israel of intentionally targeting the nation's educational institutions. They claimed that attacks on universities, including Isfahan University of Technology and Tehran University of Science and Technology, are part of a larger strategy to undermine Iran's scientific and cultural integrity.

Esmaeil Baqaei, spokesperson for Iran's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, dismissed assertions linking these attacks to nuclear issues, labeling them as a facade for broader aggression.

In a statement on X, Baqaei remarked, "Isfahan University of Technology and the University of Science and Technology in Tehran are merely two examples among numerous universities and research facilities that have been deliberately targeted by aggressors during the past month of their unlawful conflict against the Iranian populace."

He further accused the aggressors of waging a systematic campaign against Iran's intellectual and cultural framework.

"The ongoing American-Israeli aggression against Iran is increasingly revealing its true aim: to dismantle our nation's scientific foundation and cultural legacy by systematically attacking universities, research institutions, historical sites, and esteemed scholars. The claims regarding Iran's 'nuclear program' and 'imminent threat' are nothing more than malicious pretexts—fabrications meant to obscure their actual intentions," he added.

In response to these allegations, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) of Iran issued a stern warning, indicating that universities associated with the US and Israel in the West Asian region could be deemed legitimate targets for retaliation due to the purported strikes on Iranian institutions.

A statement released via the state-run Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB) on Telegram condemned recent events, including what it termed the bombardment of the University of Science and Technology in Tehran.

"The American-Zionist aggressor forces have once again targeted Iranian universities by bombing the Tehran University of Science and Technology," the statement claimed, as reported by IRIB.

The IRGC's statement further cautioned that institutions linked to the US and Israel throughout West Asia might face retaliatory measures unless specific conditions are fulfilled. They also advised individuals near such campuses to exercise caution.

"The reckless leaders in the White House should understand that all universities affiliated with the occupying regime and American institutions in the West Asian region are legitimate targets for us. The destruction of two universities in retaliation for the damage inflicted on Iranian universities is justified. We urge all staff, faculty, and students at American universities in the region, as well as residents nearby, to remain within a one-kilometer radius of these universities for their safety," it concluded, as quoted by IRIB.