US-Israeli strikes hit Iran’s most prominent tech university, target AI infrastructure
Founded in 1966 and widely known as the ‘MIT of Iran,’ the university sits at the center of the country’s scientific and AI development
US and Israeli strikes have hit Iran’s Sharif University of Technology in Tehran (SUT), the country’s leading technological and engineering university, damaging key facilities and targeting Iran’s national artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure on 3 April.
“This morning, the enemy launched an attack on one of the university buildings, which unfortunately resulted in damages,” Sharif University President Masoud Tajrishi confirmed in a video message.
Initial reports indicated no fatalities at the site, despite the extensive destruction.
Subsequent reports said the strike targeted the university’s data center, which functions as a core infrastructure for Iran’s national AI platform.
The facility supports thousands of integrated systems and research projects, forming the backbone of the country’s AI network.
Al Jazeera reported that the campus sustained extensive damage, including to laboratories and a mosque within the compound, adding that “at least 30 universities have been hit” since the start of the war, citing Iran’s Ministry of Science and Technology.
Founded in 1966, SUT was established in Tehran as a public research university specializing in science, engineering, and technology, originally under the name Aryamehr University of Technology.
It was created as part of a broader push to modernize Iran’s scientific and technical capabilities.
The university offers a wide range of engineering and science programs, with a strong focus on research, and is widely referred to as the “MIT of Iran” for its academic rigor and advanced technical focus.
SUT ranks as the top university in Iran, and within the top 400 globally,
The strike on Sharif University took place as part of a broader wave of US-Israeli attacks across Iran on Friday, which killed at least 34 people, including six children.
According to Fars News Agency, 23 people were killed in Baharestan County, including “four girls and two boys aged below 10 years,” while additional casualties were reported in Qom and Bandar-e Lengeh.
Iranian officials condemned the attack, with First Vice President Mohammad Reza Aref calling it a “symbol of Trump’s madness and ignorance,” adding, “He does not understand that Iranian knowledge is not contained in concrete to be destroyed by bombs; the true fortress is the will of our professors and elites.”
Tehran issued a stark warning to the US, saying it will respond “in kind” to any attacks on its infrastructure.
Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei said the US threats reflect “an indication of a criminal mindset” and amount to “an incitement to war crimes and crimes against humanity.”
Meanwhile, Iranian missile fire struck several locations in Israel, with casualties and damage reported in multiple cities.