TEHRAN –Science Minister Hossein Simaei-Sarraf has written a letter to Director-General of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), Audrey Azoulay, condemning the killing of Iranian scientists in Zionist regime’s terrorist attacks.

“With deep sorrow, I regret to inform you that from June 13 to 16, some noted Iranian scientists have been assassinated by Israeli airstrikes, which is not accepted by the international law,” IRNA quoted Simaei-Sarraf as saying in his letter.

Amir-Hossein Feqhi, a faculty member at Shahid Beheshti University who previously served as vice president of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) and the head of the Nuclear Science and Technology Research Institute; Abdolhamid Minouchehr, an expert in nuclear engineering, and the head of the nuclear engineering faculty at Shahid Beheshti University; Mohammad-Mehdi Tehranchi, a theoretical physicist who was also the president of the Islamic Azad University of Iran; Akbar Motallebizadeh, a noted nuclear scientist; Ahmad-Reza Zolfaqari, a nuclear engineering scientist at Shahid Beheshti University; Saeed Borji, a physician; Mansour Asgari, a technology researcher; Ali Bokaei-Karimi, a researcher in engineering sciences;  Ali Bakouei-Katrimi, a physician; Majid Tejenjari and Mohammad-Reza Zakerian, artificial intelligence experts; and Masoud Shams-Bakhsh, deputy minister of science, research and technology, were all martyred during Zionist regime’s attacks on Iran.

Some of them were killed along with their family members at their homes, the official added.

“As you are well-aware, the right to knowledge is recognized within Article 27 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR); it is a key concept in UNESCO’s Natural Sciences, titled promoting the right to enjoy scientific progress and its benefits. Besides, UNESCO is committed to supporting scientists through its program on the Freedom and Safety of Scientists, which is rooted in the 2017 Recommendation on Science and Scientific Researchers.

Iran has constantly endeavoured to turn into a science hub in the world. 

The country’s nuclear achievements have been gained within the framework of Article IV of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) which affirms the inalienable right of all parties to develop research, production, and use of nuclear energy for peaceful purposes.

The environmental challenges caused by fossil fuels consumption highlights the urgent need to use sustainable energy sources, like nuclear energy. Nuclear energy can be utilized to promote sustainable development, so international organizations, particularly UNESCO, which prioritize climate change as a key global challenge, has to support the countries, he noted.

With all the above mentioned points, as the secretary-general of the UNESCO in Iran, I would like to ask you to openly denounce the Israeli terrorist attacks targeting Iranian scientists.”

MT/MG