Israeli airstrike on Tehran kills top academics from Shahid Beheshti University

Following what Iranian officials called a "brutal and inhumane" Israeli airstrike targeting residential areas in Tehran, five senior academics from Shahid Beheshti University were killed, sparking national outrage and fresh vows of retaliation.

The victims — Dr Mohammad-Mehdi Tehranchi, Dr Ahmad-Reza Zolfaghari, Dr Abdolhamid Minouchehr, Dr Seyed Amir-Hossein Faghihi, and Dr Fereydoun Abbasi — were all respected professors and long-time contributors to Iran’s scientific and academic institutions, Caliber.Az reports per Iranian media.

Some of their family members were also reportedly killed in the strike.

In a strongly worded statement issued by Shahid Beheshti University, colleagues and students condemned what they called an "attack on the foundation of knowledge, thought, and the future of the nation."

The statement described the fallen professors as more than just educators, portraying them as "torchbearers of enlightenment and independence" in the face of external aggression.

"The Zionist regime, which has once again revealed its fear of knowledge and intellectual freedom, will not go unanswered," the university declared. “The path of science and national dignity in this land passes through martyrdom, not the shadows of compromise or silence.”

The university community expressed profound grief and anger, calling the incident a national tragedy. “Though we mourn,” the statement continued, “this sorrow will light our way forward. Their pens will not be dropped, their ideas will not be extinguished, and their names will remain eternal in the history of this land.”

In a veiled warning, the statement hinted at a forthcoming escalation, saying: “Be assured, this crime will not go unanswered. When the will of the oppressed nations rises and the cry for justice emerges from the fire, there will be a response worthy of this injustice — one that will shake the foundations of tyranny.”

Iranian authorities have promised a firm response, with the university concluding its message by reaffirming a commitment to avenge the blood of the slain professors and to continue the path they paved.

The deaths come amid heightened tensions following a series of Israeli airstrikes that reportedly targeted strategic and military sites in Tehran and elsewhere in the early hours of June 13. Casualty figures are still being verified, but preliminary reports suggest dozens were killed or wounded in the attacks.

By Aghakazim Guliyev