In Iran, the destruction of civilian infrastructure has sparked anger and disbelief among government supporters and opponents alike.
April 2, 2026, 4:22 p.mApril 2, 2026, 4:22 p.m
Foreign Ministry spokesman Ismail Baghai sharply criticized the bombing of the Pasteur Institute, a research center for biology and medicine in the capital Tehran. “Heartbreaking, cruel, despicable and absolutely outrageous,” he wrote on X. It was not just another war crime, but “a barbaric attack on fundamental human values.”
The Pasteur Institute has been an icon of the Iranian health system and a symbol of modern Iran for a century, wrote Vali Nasr, a professor at Johns Hopkins University in Washington, on X. Its destruction has no other purpose than to attack the history of Iran, the history of its modernization and development.
The Pasteur Institute has been an icon of Iran’s health care system, a symbol of modern Iran, established a century ago along with foundational health and education institutions. Destroying it could have no other purpose than assaulting Iran’s history, erasing the history of its… https://t.co/dcJK7hdJEP
— Vali Nasr (@vali_nasr) April 2, 2026
US President Donald Trump had previously announced further violent attacks against Iran. “We will hit them extremely hard in the next two to three weeks. We will return them to the Stone Age, where they belong,” he said in a speech to the nation. This caused great outrage among many Iranians, including government opponents.
Tehran residents are angry with Trump
Shahin, a 40-year-old real estate agent, complained about Trump. “Not even Netanyahu insulted us like that!” said the man in northern Tehran. “But even more stupid than him are we Iranians who had hope that this retarded madman could help us. We should all be ashamed today.”
The residents of Tehran are angry.Image: keystone
Even a retired couple could no longer hide their anger. “The Stone Age, Mr. President, the Iranians were not under this Islamic regime for 47 years,” said Jamal, who used to work as an engineer in agriculture. “Now he has over 80 million more enemies in the world,” he said, referring to Iran’s population.
His wife Scholeh made even more drastic statements against Trump. “Stupidity really has no limits,” she said. “I’m angry and would like to strangle him.”
Civilian infrastructure targeted by attacks
Meanwhile, in the city of Karaj, a suburb west of Tehran, a highway bridge known as “B1” was destroyed in an air strike. The Fars news agency published a photo of the bombed section, which was only completed last summer. With a height of 132 meters, it was the highest bridge in Iran.
Mohsen Borhani, a lecturer in criminal law at the University of Tehran, also expressed sharp criticism of the destruction of Iranian infrastructure. He accused the USA and Israel of attacking there under fabricated pretexts. «Tomorrow they will say military personnel drink water. And as a result you have to bomb dams and desalination plants. (hkl/sda/dpa)