Attacks on Protected Facilities
Healthcare facilities are protected under the Geneva Conventions and international humanitarian law. The WHO has verified more than 20 attacks on health infrastructure in Iran since the start of hostilities on March 1, according to Al Jazeera.
The World Health Organization has verified over 20 attacks on healthcare facilities across Iran since the beginning of hostilities on March 1, with at least nine people killed — including an infectious diseases health worker and a Red Crescent member, Al Jazeera reported on April 3, 2026.
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus drew attention to the attacks in a post on X, highlighting what he described as “multiple attacks” on health facilities in Tehran specifically.
Pasteur Institute — Historic Research Center Damaged
One of the most significant strikes targeted the Pasteur Institute in Tehran, one of Iran’s oldest biomedical research facilities. The institute sustained what the WHO described as “significant damage” and was rendered unable to deliver health services, Al Jazeera reported.
The Iranian Health Ministry released photographs showing a heavily damaged building, with portions reduced to rubble, according to Al Jazeera.
Iran’s state news agency ISNA stated that services had “not been interrupted” and that vaccine and serum production continued despite the damage. No employees were harmed in the attack, ISNA reported, per Al Jazeera.
Other Healthcare Facilities Affected
The attacks on medical infrastructure extended well beyond the Pasteur Institute. According to Al Jazeera, the following facilities have also been damaged or disrupted:
- Delaram Sina Psychiatric Hospital — Sustained damage from strikes, affecting mental health services.
- Tofigh Daru pharmaceutical facility — A pharmaceutical production site that was damaged in the attacks.
- Imam Ali Hospital, Khuzestan — An explosion near the hospital led to its evacuation and the cessation of medical services.
- Shahid Beheshti University — A laser and plasma research facility at the university was attacked, according to Iran’s Mehr news agency.
Red Crescent Infrastructure Targeted
The Iranian Red Crescent reported that a warehouse was specifically targeted, destroying relief containers, buses, and relief vehicles used for emergency response, Al Jazeera reported. The destruction of humanitarian logistics infrastructure compounds the challenges faced by emergency responders already operating under wartime conditions.
Overall, the Iranian Red Crescent reported that 307 health, medical, and emergency care facilities have been damaged since the war began, according to Al Jazeera.
Legal Framework — Geneva Conventions
Healthcare facilities, personnel, and medical transport are afforded specific protections under the Geneva Conventions and their Additional Protocols. Intentionally directing attacks against hospitals, clinics, and medical infrastructure constitutes a violation of international humanitarian law.
Article 18 of the Fourth Geneva Convention states that civilian hospitals “may in no circumstances be the object of attack.” The deliberate targeting of medical facilities can constitute a war crime under the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court.
Wider Pattern of Infrastructure Strikes
The attacks on healthcare come as US-Israeli strikes have widened beyond military targets to encompass health, education, and transport infrastructure across Iran, Al Jazeera reported.
President Trump has previously threatened to bomb Iran “back to the Stone Ages,” rhetoric that international observers and humanitarian organizations have described as inconsistent with obligations under the laws of armed conflict.
The WHO’s documentation of these attacks adds to a growing body of evidence compiled by international organizations tracking the humanitarian toll of the five-week-old conflict.
Sources: Al Jazeera, WHO, Iranian Red Crescent, ISNA, Mehr News Agency.