'Heartbreaking': Iranian scientists on losing labs, libraries and liberty

Sharif University of Technology after it was bombed on 7 April 2026. Credit: Fatemeh Bahrami/Anadolu via Getty Bombs dropped by the United States and Israel on Iran have damaged some 30 universities since war began on 28 February, according to the Iranian Red Crescent Society. In an open letter to United Nations officials and the governments of parties to the conflict, more than 1,400 international scholars have signed a statement condemning the bombing of civilian academic, health and research infrastructure. Affected institutions include Sharif University of Technology in Tehran, the country’s leading technology institution, and the Pasteur Institute of Iran, also in Tehran, established more than a century ago for research into drugs and vaccines. A White House spokesperson and a representative of Israel's military separately told Nature that they do not target civilian infrastructure, however, did not explain why these and other named institutions were bombed. Before the latest conflict, many students and academics were participating in protests for greater democracy, human rights and liberty. The Iranian government crushed the protests in January and many students were among those killed. The government has tight control over universities and academics say they fear that once the war ends, the government will tighten its grip and settle scores with its critics. Researchers — four based in Iran — describe the impact of the destruction and what might come next. …