The Health Ministry said the institute, established in 1920, was targeted on Thursday morning, causing extensive destruction.

Images shared by officials showed sections of the complex reduced to rubble.

Health Ministry spokesperson Hossein Kermanpour described the strike as “a direct assault on international health security,” noting the institute’s role as part of the International Pasteur Network.

He said the attack raised serious concerns over the safety of medical infrastructure and could have broader implications for global health cooperation.

Kermanpour also termed the incident a violation of the Geneva Conventions and international humanitarian law, urging global organisations to respond.

Tehran has called on the World Health Organisation and the International Committee of the Red Cross to condemn the strike, assess the damage and support reconstruction efforts.

Officials described the facility as a major hub for vaccine production and research on infectious diseases, warning the attack could pose serious risks to public health.

Separately, Iran’s Red Crescent said at least 316 hospitals and healthcare facilities have been damaged or destroyed since the start of what it described as U.S.-Israeli attacks on the country, though these claims could not be independently verified.

In a strongly worded statement, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei condemned the strike as “heartbreaking” and “outrageous,” calling it a “barbaric assault on basic human values.”

The attack comes amid escalating regional tensions, with concerns growing over the protection of civilian and medical facilities in Iran.