WHO warns of attacks on Iran health facilities amid regional conflict

The New Arab frames the attacks as part of widening targeting beyond military infrastructure to civilian facilities. The outlet emphasizes the systematic nature of healthcare targeting and environmental health risks from weapons.

Fortunately, none of the employees of the Pasteur Institute in Iran were harmed in the recent attacks by the United States and the Zionist regime

Iranian state media — Telegram

The organization launched an urgent $30.3 million funding appeal covering March through August to support health systems across the affected region. The appeal targets essential health services, trauma care, disease surveillance systems, and preparedness for potential chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear emergencies.

Regional displacement has reached approximately four million people, with casualty figures exceeding 3,000 deaths and 30,000 injuries. The mass movement of populations has strained healthcare infrastructure already compromised by direct attacks.

WHO officials warned that the escalating crisis sharply increases risks of communicable disease outbreaks. Environmental hazards from burning oil depots, white phosphorous weapons, and other munitions compound health threats, particularly when combined with seasonal rainfall patterns.

The targeting appears to have expanded beyond military and security installations to include civilian infrastructure. Recent strikes have hit educational facilities, with Iran's Mehr news agency reporting attacks on research facilities at Shahid Beheshti University in Tehran.

The Pasteur Institute of Iran operates independently from the original Pasteur Institute in Paris, despite sharing the name. The facility has played a central role in Iran's public health response capabilities for over a century, particularly during health emergencies.