TEHRAN – The United States and the Zionist regime have jointly attacked global public health by launching strikes on Pasteur Institute of Iran, Hossein Kermanpour, the deputy health minister, has said.

“Several facilities severely damaged or decimated by the USand Israeli bombardments are not merely national assets, but global heritage,” he wrote on his X account.

“These countries have attacked global public health by targeting institutions such as the Pasteur Institute of Iran – a key member of the Pasteur Network and a WHO Collaborating Centre.

The international community has a collective responsibility to rebuild it; we will rebuild it better than before, provided that the aggressors stop violating international law.”

Founded in 1920, the Pasteur Institute of Iran is a longstanding member of the Pasteur Network. The Institute contributes to national, regional and global public health through its national reference laboratories, WHO Collaborating Centers, disease surveillance and diagnostics, biobanks, and essential medical countermeasures production. The Institute was targeted by the aggressorson April 2. 

Following the attack, Mario Moreira, President of the Pasteur Network, expressed concern over the destruction of Pasteur Institute of Iran, and warned of the potential regional impacts as it disrupts the major role of this century-old pillar of global health in prevention and control of existing and rising health threats in the region. 

“The reported damage to the Pasteur Institute of Iran is deeply concerning. This institution plays an important role in supporting the health of populations in Iran and the region. When such capacities are disrupted, diagnostics, surveillance, and response to ongoing and emerging threats may be affected, with potential implications for health security beyond national borders,” Moreira highlighted.

International scientific reporting, including coverage in Science Magazine, has highlighted the effects of escalating hostilities on universities and research institutions in Iran, including impacts on academic and public health infrastructure.

Damage to or disruption of such infrastructure may have consequences beyond national borders. When public health institutes and surveillance systems are affected, outbreak detection capacity can be reduced, essential public health functions may be disrupted, and preparedness for emerging infectious threats may be weakened. These challenges are directly linked to broader considerations of regional and global health security.

The protection of health and scientific institutions is widely recognized as important for safeguarding essential public health functions, particularly in times of crisis. Maintaining the continuity of such institutions supports not only national health systems but also collective efforts to prevent and respond to cross-border health threats.

The Pasteur Network notes the increasing international attention to the protection of health and scientific institutions and commends the efforts of the Pasteur Institute of Iran’s staff to maintain essential diagnostic and public health functions under challenging circumstances.

The Pasteur Network expresses its support for its colleagues at the Pasteur Institute of Iran and reaffirms its commitment to the continuity of critical public health functions, scientific cooperation and the protection of health and research institutions worldwide.

MT /MG