TEHRAN- Hundreds of Turkish scholars have strongly condemned recent US-Israeli strikes on Iranian universities, calling the attacks an act of “epistemicide” – a crime against knowledge and humanity’s intellectua heritage.

In a joint statement, 239 professors from top Turkish universities, including Bogazici, Istanbul, and Ankara, said the bombings violate international conventions that protect educational facilities during conflicts. At least 30 Iranian universities and research centers have been attacked since the war began on February 28, 2026.

The academics accused Western academic communities of silence and double standards. They urged UNESCO and the UN to establish an emergency mechanism to safeguard universities in conflict zones. The scholars also expressed readiness to host displaced Iranian researchers and students and proposed forming an international network of academic bridges to sustain collaborative research.