Joint Statement by Iranian Universities to BRICS Network on Protecting Academic Centers
| Post date: 2026/03/30 |
Dear Members of the BRICS Network University,
We write to express our deep concern and condemnation regarding the direct attacks on two Iranian universities Isfahan University of Technology and Iran University of Science and Technology (IUST)—during March 26–29, 2026. These attacks are not only a violation of the sanctity of academic institutions but also a grave provocation against the principles of peace, knowledge, and human dignity.
Tragically, just days before the airstrike on IUST, one of its distinguished professors, Professor Saeed Shamghadri, along with his son and daughter, were terrorized in a separate strike by the Israeli regime. The deliberate targeting of a university professor and his family, followed by the direct bombardment of his own institution, xposes the true nature of these acts: a systematic assault on science, education, and innocent life.
Universities are not battlegrounds; they are sanctuaries of intellectual freedom, where scholars, students, and researchers work tirelessly to advance humanity through discovery, innovation, and critical thought. To target such institutions and their academic community is to attack the very foundation of progress and to undermine the
future of entire generations. Scientific institutions are centers of connection and interaction for human society, and they must remain within the sphere of our collective support and concern, free from political biases. An attack on a university in any country is an attack on our shared values.
Throughout history, from the distant past to the present, the world has witnessed attacks on scientific institutions.
Today, despite existing international laws and principles, we must stand firm against such uncivilized actions. As a scientific community, we pose the following critical questions in response to this situation:
− Can we remain silent about attacks on universities under the pretext of neutrality or political complexities?
− Does selectively applying the law not logically lead to the discrediting of the shared principles of human society?
We respectfully invite our partner universities within the BRICS Network University to stand in solidarity with the Iranian academic community and to unequivocally condemn these attacks. Let us reaffirm our shared commitment to stability, education, and the protection of intellectual institutions worldwide.
Sincerely,
− Amirkabir University of Technology (AUT)
− Isfahan University of Technology (IUT)
− Iran University of Science and Technology (IUST)
− Khajeh Nasir Toosi University of Technology (KNTU)
− Sharif University of Technology
We write to express our deep concern and condemnation regarding the direct attacks on two Iranian universities Isfahan University of Technology and Iran University of Science and Technology (IUST)—during March 26–29, 2026. These attacks are not only a violation of the sanctity of academic institutions but also a grave provocation against the principles of peace, knowledge, and human dignity.
Tragically, just days before the airstrike on IUST, one of its distinguished professors, Professor Saeed Shamghadri, along with his son and daughter, were terrorized in a separate strike by the Israeli regime. The deliberate targeting of a university professor and his family, followed by the direct bombardment of his own institution, xposes the true nature of these acts: a systematic assault on science, education, and innocent life.
Universities are not battlegrounds; they are sanctuaries of intellectual freedom, where scholars, students, and researchers work tirelessly to advance humanity through discovery, innovation, and critical thought. To target such institutions and their academic community is to attack the very foundation of progress and to undermine the
future of entire generations. Scientific institutions are centers of connection and interaction for human society, and they must remain within the sphere of our collective support and concern, free from political biases. An attack on a university in any country is an attack on our shared values.
Throughout history, from the distant past to the present, the world has witnessed attacks on scientific institutions.
Today, despite existing international laws and principles, we must stand firm against such uncivilized actions. As a scientific community, we pose the following critical questions in response to this situation:
− Can we remain silent about attacks on universities under the pretext of neutrality or political complexities?
− Does selectively applying the law not logically lead to the discrediting of the shared principles of human society?
We respectfully invite our partner universities within the BRICS Network University to stand in solidarity with the Iranian academic community and to unequivocally condemn these attacks. Let us reaffirm our shared commitment to stability, education, and the protection of intellectual institutions worldwide.
Sincerely,
− Amirkabir University of Technology (AUT)
− Isfahan University of Technology (IUT)
− Iran University of Science and Technology (IUST)
− Khajeh Nasir Toosi University of Technology (KNTU)
− Sharif University of Technology