According to a report by Al Jazeera on May 22, 2026, Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei has strongly condemned the March attack on the Pasteur Institute of Iran, accusing the United States and Israel of carrying out a deliberate strike on the historic medical research center.
In a statement posted on X, Baghaei described the incident as “The American-Israeli deliberate attack on the Pasteur Institute of Iran was a flagrant war crime. The perpetrators must be held accountable.”
He said the attack on the century-old institution amounted to a direct assault on the Iranian people’s basic rights to healthcare, scientific advancement and life. Baghaei argued that the facility had long served as a major center for medical research and public health services in the country.
The spokesperson made the remarks in response to a statement issued by The Lancet, one of the world’s leading medical journals. The publication warned that the destruction of the institute could create serious consequences for health security across the region.
According to The Lancet, the World Health Organization confirmed that the Pasteur Institute is no longer operational and is unable to provide health services after the bombardment. The report added that the damage came at a time when Iran’s healthcare system was already facing major challenges due to years of international sanctions.
The institute has been regarded as one of Iran’s most important scientific and medical centers, contributing to disease research, vaccine development and public health programmes for decades. Concerns have continued to grow among health experts over the broader humanitarian impact of the attack and its effect on regional medical cooperation…See More
