In a message posted on his X account on Saturday, Esmaeil Baqaei condemned deliberate strikes against Iran’s academic institutions, including major universities in Isfahan and Tehran, during the ongoing US-Israeli war.

He argued that such attacks reveal a broader strategy aimed at weakening the country’s intellectual infrastructure and cultural heritage, rather than addressing any genuine security concerns.

“Isfahan University of Technology and the University of Science and Technology in Tehran are just two among many universities and research centers deliberately attacked by the aggressors during the past 30 days of their illegal war on the Iranian nation,” he said.

“In fact, the American-Israeli aggression against Iran continues to reveal its true objective: to cripple our country’s scientific foundation and cultural heritage by systematically targeting universities, research centers, historical monuments, and prominent scientists,” the spokesman added.

“Countering Iran' ‘nuclear program’ and ‘imminent threat’ were nothing but vicious pretexts — mere fabrications designed to conceal their real intention,” the spokesman added.

The US and the Israeli regime launched a large-scale unprovoked military campaign against Iran following the assassination of Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei, along with several senior military commanders and civilians on February 28.

The attacks have involved extensive aerial strikes on both military and civilian locations across Iran, causing significant casualties and widespread damage to infrastructure.

In response, the Iranian Armed Forces have carried out retaliatory operations, targeting American and Israeli positions in the occupied territories and at regional bases with waves of missiles and drones.