The American University in Sulaymaniyah in Iraq was attacked on Tuesday morning, according to Iranian state-linked outlet Press TV. There has been no immediate comment from the United States or Israel on the reported incident. The development comes amid heightened tensions following allegations by Iran of repeated attacks on its academic and research institutions.
Iran condemns attacks on universities
In recent days, Iranian officials have issued strong statements condemning what they described as a series of attacks on universities and scientific centres. According to Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB), Iran's ministers of science and health released a joint statement criticising the US and Israel over incidents reported since March 2026.
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The statement said institutions including the University of Science and Technology, the Faculty of Pharmacy at Shiraz University, Isfahan University of Technology and the Science and Technology Park of Urmia University had been targeted. It added that the incidents caused damage to educational and research infrastructure and led to casualties among researchers and teaching staff.
American University in Sulaymaniyah, Iraq, comes under attack.
— Press TV 🔻 (@PressTV) March 30, 2026
Follow: https://t.co/mLGcUTS2ei pic.twitter.com/zu1VNM2bKw
Iranian authorities also linked these developments to earlier incidents involving scientists, students and professors, claiming that the attacks were aimed at undermining the country’s academic environment.
Tehran warns of retaliation
Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei reiterated the position in a social media post. "In fact, the American-Israeli aggression against Iran continues to reveal its true objective: to cripple our country's scientific foundation and cultural heritage by systematically targeting universities, research centers, historical monuments and prominent scientists," he said.
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Separately, Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) issued an ultimatum on March 29 through official media, demanding that the US issue a statement condemning the alleged bombing of Iranian universities by a specified deadline.
The IRGC also warned that failure to respond could lead to retaliatory actions, stating that US universities in West Asia may be treated as legitimate targets in response to the reported attacks on Iranian academic facilities.
