Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has called on international health organisations and medical professionals worldwide to respond to what he described as a “crime against humanity” following reported attacks on key medical facilities in Iran.
In a statement posted on X, the social media platform owned by X, Pezeshkian condemned the strikes, which Iranian authorities say targeted hospitals, pharmaceutical centres, and the Pasteur Institute of Iran.
“What message does attacking hospitals, pharmaceutical companies and the Pasteur Institute as a medical research center in Iran convey?” the president asked, expressing concern over the implications for public health and international cooperation.
Describing himself as a specialist physician, Pezeshkian urged global health bodies—including the World Health Organization, the International Committee of the Red Cross, and Médecins Sans Frontières—as well as doctors around the world, to take a stand against the attacks.
“As a specialist physician, I urge WHO, the Red Cross, Doctors Without Borders and physicians worldwide to respond to this crime against humanity,” he stated.
Iranian officials had earlier reported that airstrikes caused damage to the Pasteur Institute, a major public health and scientific research centre located in Tehran. Authorities warned that the தாக்க could have serious последствия for both domestic health systems and international scientific collaboration.
In a separate reaction, Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei strongly condemned the strike, describing it as “heartbreaking, cruel, despicable, and utterly outrageous.”
He noted that the institute is one of the oldest and most respected medical research centres in the region, established in 1920 through cooperation between the Pasteur Institute of Paris and the Iranian government. According to him, the facility plays a critical role in public health research not only in Iran but across the Middle East.
The latest development comes amid escalating regional tensions following a joint military offensive launched on February 28 by the United States and Israel against Iran. The strikes have reportedly resulted in over 1,340 deaths, including Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei.
In retaliation, Iran has carried out a series of drone and missile attacks targeting Israeli territory and U.S.-linked assets across the Middle East. These operations have extended to countries such as Jordan and Iraq, as well as Gulf states hosting American military installations.
The exchange of attacks has raised widespread concern about the protection of civilian infrastructure, particularly medical facilities, which are generally safeguarded under international humanitarian law. Experts warn that continued targeting of such sites could deepen the humanitarian impact of the conflict and further strain already fragile health systems in the region.
As tensions continue to mount, calls for international intervention and accountability are growing louder, with global attention increasingly focused on the implications of the conflict for civilian safety, public health, and regional stability.
