Urgent Appeal to UNESCO Regarding the Military Attack on Shahid Beheshti University’s Educational and Research Facilities in Tehran

To Dr. Khaled Ahmed El-Enany Ali Ezz

Secretary-General,

United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)

Subject: Urgent Appeal Concerning the Protection of Educational and Research Institutions Under International Law

Date: April 3, 2026

Your Excellency,

I write to respectfully bring to the attention of UNESCO a grave incident that highlights the urgent necessity of strengthening and effectively enforcing international legal protections afforded to educational and research institutions during situations of armed conflict.

On Friday, 3 April 2026 (14 Farvardin 1405), at approximately 16:00 local time, a building belonging to a prominent educational and research center of Shahid Beheshti University, located in the Velenjak district of Tehran, was subjected to a direct military strike by American–Israeli forces. The attack caused extensive damage to a significant portion of the academic facility, jeopardizing the safety of members of the university community and severely disrupting ongoing academic and research activities.

According to an official statement issued by Shahid Beheshti University, the incident resulted in serious destruction of infrastructure and posed a grave threat to the lives and security of faculty members, researchers, staff, and students who were present in or near the premises at the time. Further to that, the Laser and Plasma Research Center and a women’s student dormitory affiliated with the university were also struck.

Such actions raise serious concerns under international humanitarian law. Educational and research institutions enjoy protected status during armed conflict under the principles embodied in the Geneva Conventions of 1949 and their Additional Protocols, particularly where such facilities are not used for military purposes. Attacks against institutions dedicated to education and scientific research undermine not only the safety of civilians but also the advancement of knowledge, scientific cooperation, and the international community’s commitment to the free exchange of ideas.

The incident also underscores the pressing need for the international community, including UNESCO, to strengthen existing legal and institutional mechanisms aimed at safeguarding higher education institutions and ensuring accountability for violations of international law. Academic and research institutions play an indispensable role in promoting peace, dialogue, scientific progress, and sustainable development, and must therefore be afforded robust protection.

In this regard, we respectfully call upon UNESCO to:

1. Use all available means of pressure to stop the aggressive regimes of the United States and Israel from attacking scientific, educational, and cultural centers.
2. Advocate for the strengthening and effective implementation of international legal protections applicable to educational and research institutions during armed conflicts.
3. Promote mechanisms aimed at ensuring accountability for violations of such protections.
4. Support international initiatives toward the development or reinforcement of legally binding instruments that prohibit and penalize attacks on academic institutions.

Additionally, following the attack on the Pasteur Institute of Iran, we wish to note that this institution is one of the longstanding pillars of global public health and is a member of the International Pasteur Network. For more than a century, the Pasteur Institute of Iran has served as a major scientific, educational, and public health center dedicated to safeguarding public health. Throughout its history, it has played a crucial role in controlling infectious diseases in Iran and internationally, and since 1920 it has been recognized as an important global hub for vaccine research and production.

In light of the above, we respectfully request that UNESCO take note of these incidents and consider solid measures within its mandate to reaffirm and promote the protection of scientific, educational, research, and cultural institutions in accordance with established principles of international law. We further encourage the exploration of available international legal avenues including the potential role of the advisory jurisdiction of the International Court of Justice in clarifying the legal status and protection of such institutions.

The safety and integrity of educational and research institutions remain matters of paramount importance to the international community. Safeguarding academic environments and preserving academic freedom are essential for fostering peaceful, innovative, and inclusive societies.

Thank you for your attention to this important matter.

Respectfully,

Prof. Mohammad Hossein Omid

President

University of Tehran