Early morning explosions rocked a major Tehran campus, causing visible damage but few official details. Officials warned of broader escalation in the region.
Sharif University of Technology in Tehran was struck by an airstrike early on the morning of April 6. According to Iran’s Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty service, Radio Farda, the strike occurred on the campus in the capital. A few hours later, without detailed explanations, university leadership announced that the ‘academic institution’ of the university had been hit, and parts of the building were damaged.
The First Vice President of Iran, Mohammad Reza Aref, said that bombs were used during the attack to destroy bunkers, and in his words this was ‘a symbol of madness and ignorance [of U.S. President Donald] Trump’.
during the attack bombs were used to destroy bunkers, which, in his words, was ‘a symbol of madness and ignorance [of U.S. President Donald] Trump’.
– The First Vice President of Iran, Mohammad Reza Aref
Official reaction and context of the event
Iranian media had previously reported that a gas facility on the university campus was hit by a shell, causing a gas supply outage in a local area. Later, reports confirmed that the supply had been restored.
Images that appeared online show significant damage to parts of the campus, the surrounding area, and the mosque.
On the evening of April 5 – the 37th day of the US-Israeli strikes on Iran – there were reports of explosions and air defense activity in several cities. There were also reports of explosions heard in Tehran and the sound of fighter jets over the capital.
The Iranian military says it is responding to strikes with missiles and drones, not only against Israel or U.S. military targets in the region, but also in relatively nearby neighbors whom Tehran regards as U.S. allies. Such actions indicate a worsening of tensions and an unsettled situation around Iran.
The incident underscores the sensitivity of educational institutions in the region and the need for a measured assessment of risks to scientific infrastructure in the context of rising tensions between regional countries and their global partners.