Overnight US-Israeli strikes hit Iranian cities as infrastructure and universities targeted

[0:00] Tawheed, what can you tell us about these attacks that took place overnight and into the morning? [0:04] There were more than a dozen cities in Tehran that were hit. [0:09] Yes, indeed. Tehran, the capital of the country, witnessed another night of heavy bombardment, [0:15] which different areas located in the east, south, as well as the western areas of the capital were targeted. [0:23] And different places, including infrastructural facilities, have been impacted. [0:28] Some of them even directly hit, including Sharif University of Technology, which is known as Iran's MIT, [0:35] one of the most, or perhaps I can say the most important technical university of the country. [0:41] The president of the country came out to confirm the attack, [0:44] and the footages coming out indicate a huge amount of damage to different buildings, [0:50] including the mosque and other facilities, laboratories, and other places of this important university. [0:57] Also, we know that... [0:58] The area has been the witness of other attacks, actually. [1:03] A gas facility is said to be targeted as well in the areas adjacent to the campus of Sharif University of Technology. [1:11] And, of course, we know that beyond the capital, we have a relatively long list of different cities [1:17] experiencing the ongoing nature of the American and Israeli airstrikes, [1:22] including Karaj, Shiraz, Esfahan, Boushehr, Bandar-e-Lenge, [1:27] where at least six people are... [1:29] said to be killed, [1:30] or at least five people. [1:32] And in Baharistan, a very small city located in the vicinity of the capital, [1:39] local authorities are saying that at least 13 people have been killed, including six children. [1:46] And, obviously, infrastructurally speaking, the country is also experiencing ongoing attacks on different places, [1:54] including power-related infrastructure, roads, as well as bridges. [1:59] And other facilities that are critically important for ordinary citizens. [2:04] And, Tawheed, what is Iran saying about these types of attacks? [2:08] This isn't the first university that's been hit in Iran. [2:13] And, as well, we've seen attacks on bridges and power structures, as you say. [2:17] What is Iran saying about these types of attacks? [2:20] The day before yesterday, we had a chance to talk to Iran's Ministry of Science, Research and Technology. [2:29] And he told us that... [2:31] the last 30 universities so far have been hit as a result of these airstrikes. [2:37] The latest was Shahid Beheshti University in the campus of which we were to witness [2:43] that the Laser and Plasma Research Institute was targeted, heavily, heavily damaged. [2:49] And the dormitories located in the campus were also impacted, some of them in a very, I would say, huge way. [2:56] The good news was that the students were out for Nowruz holidays. [3:01] So, no casualties. [3:03] But the latest is actually... [3:04] And, of course, prior to that, we also had reports about the heavy bombardments of the Iran's University of Science and Technology [3:13] located in the eastern areas of the capital. [3:16] And prior to that, we had the Isfahan University of Technology being targeted. [3:21] But the latest, as I was explaining, is Sharif University of Technology. [3:26] And the Iranian side is just considering it as a war crime. [3:31] And the foreign minister's spokesperson came out the other day to call it as an assault, a systematic crime, [3:38] a systematic attack on the academic and cultural foundations of the country, [3:45] condemning these attacks that are, right now, I would say, getting broader when it comes to their scope. [3:52] You know, at the very first days of these airstrikes, it was state-related buildings or mostly, I would say, military headquarters, [4:01] or military-related infrastructure. [4:03] But over the past two weeks, I can say we see a severe damage to infrastructures, [4:09] hospitals, schools, Red Crescent buildings, transportation-related facilities. [4:15] And that is obviously the heavy cost that the very ordinary citizens living in the country are going to be...are going to, indeed, pay. [4:26] Right. [4:26] And, Tauhid, there's also been significant concern over the past month or so, [4:31] as you say, about strikes that have happened on or around the Bashir nuclear power plant. [4:37] Four strikes, from what we can tell so far. [4:40] What is Iran saying about the concerns that they have about that area being targeted? [4:48] It is not that one, but we know that when it comes to nuclear facilities of the country, [4:53] starting from earlier, much earlier, in June, when the Americans and Israelis started a campaign of airstrikes, [5:01] three of the most important facilities, [5:03] Natanz, Fordow, and Isfahan, were targeted. [5:07] And moving on, in this war, we also witnessed, actually, nuclear-related facilities of the country being, [5:14] some of them directly, some of them indirectly, hit. [5:17] And about this recent one, we know that the areas in the vicinity have witnessed the airstrikes by the Americans and Israelis. [5:26] The Iranian side has raised concerns about that. [5:29] And we've got this statement a couple of hours ago. [5:33] From the Iran's Atomic Energy Organization, [5:38] they came out to give a detailed account of the areas targeted, and they said, [5:44] quote-unquote, [5:45] heavy water and its derivatives are vital for medicine, disease treatment, and advanced industries. [5:52] U.S.-Israeli attack on Iran's heavy water facility is a crime against science and humanity health. [5:59] Our scientific progress will not be halted, [6:02] nor will our resolve to serve global peace and health. [6:06] This is the very latest reaction that we had from the Iranian side. [6:10] Meanwhile, they are condemning, and also we know that diplomatically speaking, Iran's previously, [6:16] actually, U.N. mission to New York, to the United Nations, [6:21] they just wrote a letter to express their, actually, condemnation, [6:27] and they have asked for immediate action from the international community. [6:31] In that regard, seeing the risk of contamination and other related risks that are out there [6:37] when it comes to attacking nuclear facilities. [6:40] Tohid Asadi reporting live for us from Tehran. [6:43] Thank you, Tohid.