US-Israeli strikes destroy Iran’s historic Pasteur institute
Attack on century-old medical facility disrupts healthcare services as global concerns rise over targeting of civilian infrastructure
TEHRAN, Iran (MNTV) — A century-old medical institution in Iran has been severely damaged in ongoing United States and Israeli bombardment, drawing sharp concern from international health authorities over the deliberate targeting of civilian infrastructure.
The Pasteur Institute of Iran, established in 1920 in the aftermath of the First World War, has been rendered inoperable following recent strikes, according to the World Health Organization.
The facility, one of the country’s oldest and most significant public health centers, played a central role in disease control, vaccine production, and emergency health responses.
World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus confirmed that the institute could no longer continue delivering critical health services. He noted that two of its departments had been operating as official collaborating centers with the global health body.
Founded to combat widespread infectious diseases such as cholera, plague, rabies, and smallpox, the institute became a cornerstone of Iran’s modern healthcare system.
Built on land donated by a prominent historical figure, it symbolized early efforts to develop domestic vaccine and serum production capabilities during a period of major public health crises.
Health officials have warned that the destruction of such a facility goes beyond immediate physical damage, potentially undermining long-term disease prevention and emergency preparedness in a country already facing mounting humanitarian strain.
The attack forms part of a broader pattern. According to the World Health Organization, at least 20 assaults on Iran’s healthcare infrastructure have been verified since early March. These incidents have killed at least nine people, including medical personnel and humanitarian workers, while forcing multiple hospitals and treatment centers to suspend operations.
Among the previously targeted sites were a pharmaceutical complex producing critical medicines for cancer and neurological conditions, as well as a psychiatric hospital in the capital. Additional strikes near medical facilities in other regions have triggered evacuations and halted services, further deepening the crisis.
Human rights activists have condemned the strikes as a systematic assault on civilian life, arguing that the destruction of healthcare institutions serves no legitimate military purpose. Analysts say such actions risk collapsing essential public services and exposing millions to heightened health risks.
Observers also point to increasingly aggressive rhetoric from Washington, which has framed the war in sweeping terms, raising fears that attacks on civilian infrastructure are being normalized under the guise of strategic pressure.
International agencies have reiterated urgent calls for restraint, warning that continued strikes on medical and humanitarian facilities could amount to grave violations of international law and further escalate an already volatile conflict.
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