Iran has issued threats targeting U.S. and Israeli-affiliated universities in the Middle East, according to regional security analysts and diplomatic sources. The warnings come amid heightened tensions following recent airstrikes attributed to Israel against Iranian military infrastructure in Syria.
Intelligence officials from two Gulf states confirmed to Reuters that Iranian-backed militia groups have been instructed to identify ‘soft Western targets’ including educational facilities. ‘This represents an escalation in Tehran’s proxy warfare strategy,’ said a senior UAE counterterrorism advisor speaking on condition of anonymity.
The College Fix first reported the threats after obtaining Farsi-language bulletins circulated among Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) units. While no specific institutions were named, security analysts note at least twelve American-affiliated universities operate in the region, including branches in Qatar, Lebanon, and the UAE.
State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller told reporters: ‘We take all threats to U.S. interests seriously and are coordinating with regional partners.’ Israeli officials declined to comment on the record, though military sources confirmed enhanced security at Technion University’s collaboration centers in Cyprus and Bahrain.
The threats coincide with stalled nuclear negotiations and what Middle East experts describe as Iran’s ‘pressure campaign’ ahead of U.S. elections. ‘Targeting academia crosses a new threshold,’ warned Dr. Amina Farooq of the Brookings Doha Center. ‘It suggests Tehran views all Western-linked institutions as legitimate targets in their asymmetric conflict.’