TEHRAN — In a sharply worded post on X (formerly Twitter), Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi condemned what he described as a “partner-in-crime” effort by Israel and the United States to degrade Iran’s scientific progress through military force. His remarks followed reports of major damage to the Tehran University of Science and Technology and the Isfahan University of Technology during last night’s raids.
“Israel and its partner-in-crime believe that knowledge can be bombed away… it’s reflected in the murders of Iran’s scientists and attacks on Iran’s nuclear sites, and now universities,” Araghchi wrote. “Reality check: your actions ooze of desperation and only inspire more pursuit of knowledge.”
Escalation: From Military Bases to Research Hubs
The strikes on academic institutions mark a shift in the campaign’s targeting profile:
- The Tehran Strike: Verified footage shows the aftermath of a missile strike on the Tehran University of Science and Technology, a hub for Iranian materials science and engineering.
- The Isfahan Strike: Reports from Isfahan indicate that the university’s high-tech labs, often associated with drone and missile development, were a primary objective of the latest “wave.”
- Scientist Assassinations: Araghchi’s mention of “murders” refers to the ongoing “assassination spree” that Tehran claims has claimed the lives of several high-ranking researchers and military budget officials in the past month.
The IRGC Response: Reciprocal Targets
The Foreign Minister’s diplomatic condemnation was followed by a more direct military threat from the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). In a formal statement, the IRGC declared that if the targeting of Iranian research centers continues, it will view American and Israeli universities in the Middle East as legitimate military targets.
- Specific Warning: The IRGC specifically pointed toward regional branches of Western institutions in the Gulf and Lebanon, warning of “scientific and military retaliation.”
A Context of “Mosaic Defense”
Araghchi’s defiance is rooted in Iran’s current military strategy of Decentralized Mosaic Defense.
- On March 1, Araghchi noted that the bombings in Tehran would have “no impact on the country’s ability to conduct war,” citing two decades of studying U.S. military tactics in the region.
- He has consistently argued that Israel’s “doctrine of domination” seeks to keep neighboring nations technologically and economically weak, but that Iran’s scientific momentum is now “irreversible.”
| Target Category | Recent Incidents | Araghchi’s Stance |
| Universities | Tehran & Isfahan (Struck Mar 29-30) | “Desperate” attempt to halt progress. |
| Nuclear Sites | Parchin & Fordow (Ongoing) | Sovereignty over knowledge is absolute. |
| Scientists | Assassination of 3 senior figures (Mar 18) | Part of a “calculated moral collapse” by the West. |
| Historical Sites | UNESCO World Heritage Sites (Mar 2026) | “A regime that won’t last a century hates nations with ancient pasts.” |
