Shahid Beheshti University
Iranian public research university whose laser institute was bombed by US-Israeli strikes in 2026.
Last refreshed: 5 April 2026
When does targeting a sanctioned research institute become a war crime?
Latest on Shahid Beheshti University
- Why was Shahid Beheshti University bombed?
- US-Israeli strikes hit the Laser and Plasma Research Institute on 3 April 2026, targeting it over alleged links to Iran's nuclear and defence programmes.Source: background
- What does the Laser and Plasma Research Institute do?
- It researches lasers, photonics and plasma for scientific and defence applications; it has been sanctioned by the EU and US for suspected links to nuclear enrichment work.Source: background
- Is bombing a university a war crime?
- Under International humanitarian law, universities are protected civilian objects unless actively used for military purposes; experts are divided on whether the institute's dual-use research justifies the strike.Source: background
- How many Iranian universities have been bombed in the 2026 conflict?
- Iran's Science Minister reported at least 30 universities struck since late February 2026.Source: background
- What sanctions does Shahid Beheshti University face?
- The EU, US, UK, Canada, and Australia have all sanctioned the university for alleged contributions to Iran's proliferation-sensitive nuclear activities.Source: quick_facts
Background
Shahid Beheshti University's Laser and Plasma Research Institute was bombed on 3 April 2026, part of a campaign that struck at least 30 Iranian universities since late February. The attack drew immediate condemnation from Iran's Science Minister and more than 100 US legal experts who cited serious violations of International humanitarian law. No casualties were reported at the university, as Iranian authorities had moved all classes online after earlier strikes.
Founded in 1960 as the National University of Iran, the university was renamed in 1983 after cleric Mohammad Beheshti, killed in the 1981 Islamic Republican Party bombing. Situated in Tehran's Evin district across roughly one million square metres, the university spans 19 faculties, 10 research institutes and 9 research centres with tens of thousands of students. It is one of Iran's premier public research universities, strong in physics, engineering, and medicine. The Laser and Plasma Research Institute conducts research into lasers, photonics, and plasma for both scientific and defence-industry applications. The EU, US, UK, Canada, and Australia have sanctioned the university and the institute over alleged links to Iran's nuclear programme, citing research areas — including solid-state laser design and work adjacent to laser isotope separation physics — that carry dual-use risk.
The 3 April strike sits within a broader pattern of attacks on civilian and academic infrastructure during the Iran conflict. International law treats universities as protected civilian objects unless actively used for military purposes; the standard for lawful targeting requires evidence of direct military use and proportionality. Critics, including Human Rights Watch and The Intercept, argue the campaign amounts to the deliberate destruction of Iran's scientific base. Defenders of the strikes point to the institute's documented sanctions history and defence-industry research mandate. The episode has sharpened global debate about the line between legitimate military targets and protected educational institutions under the Geneva Conventions.
