TEHRAN – Officials, academics, and employees of the health sector gathered in the front of Imam Khomeini hospital in Tehran on Monday to condemn US-Israeli assaults on the country’s health infrastructure.

“We, the health staff and academics, have come together today to underscore an undeniable fundamental principle: saving human lives, and protecting health, pharmaceutical, educational, and research centers are globally sacred, and attacking these centers has no justification under any circumstances,” they said in a statement.

“Our experiences in the health sector clearly show that universities and educational centers, hospitals, relief and rescue bases, medical teams, pharmaceutical networks, medical scientists have to be safeguarded from any military aggression. Damaging patients, the wounded, relief workers, doctors , nurses, and researchers, and destructing health and research infrastructures not only violates moral principles but also poses threat to universal health security, and the future of science, medical technologies, and fair access to treatment.

We, regardless of geographical borders, political stances, and ideology, insist on following principles: 1. The life and dignity of any human are absolutely valuable and have to be protected. 2. Patients, the injured, children, mothers, the aged, and anyone who needs healthcare should never be the victim of the situation that is out of their control. 
3. Researchers, doctors, and all health workers need to conduct their missions to save people’s lives in full safety and security. 4. No excuses, including armed conflicts, or urgent situations, should deprive people from access to essential medical, medicinal, and rehabilitation services.

We expect international community, particularly the United Nations, the World Health Organization, and other international humanitarian organizations, to guarantee the security of educational, medical, pharmaceutical, and research centers, and to take clear stance against the destruction of health infrastructure. Health is a universal right, and the shared red line of humanity.”