Khaberni - Branches of American universities in the Middle East have shifted to remote learning amidst growing concerns of the potential targeting by Iran of their premises in regional countries, in response to the American bombing of universities in Iran.
The American University in Beirut, through its official account on the "X" platform, released a statement confirming its adoption of remote learning on Monday and Tuesday as a precautionary measure, with essential employees being exempt from this decision, and during these two days, all educational activities and exams requiring personal attendance will be suspended.
The university emphasized that "the safety of the university community remains the utmost priority," and clarified in its statement: "We have no evidence of direct threats against our university or its campus or medical centers, and out of an abundance of caution, we will operate completely remotely on Monday and Tuesday, except for essential employees."
In the United Arab Emirates, the American University in Sharjah announced the continuation of remote learning until further notice, with all academic activities being conducted online, including lectures and tests.
The university's statement on the "X" platform said: "The university will continue to operate remotely until further notice, as we continue to monitor developments and prioritize the safety and security of our university community. During this period, all academic activities, including online lectures, will continue."
It is noted that there are several American universities in the countries of the region under various names, attributed to American states or famous cities in them.
In related news, Isfahan University of Technology in Iran announced yesterday that it "was subjected for the second time to a brutal aerial attack by the Zionist and American aggressors."
This targeting followed a statement issued by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard, which announced that "the targeting of Iranian universities and research centers by the United States and Israel will make Israeli and American universities a legitimate target for response."
The statement also set a deadline for the United States until noon on Monday, March 30 (Tehran time) to issue an official statement condemning the raids on Iranian universities, warning that failure to comply would make American and Israeli universities vulnerable to retaliation.
Also, the UAE Foreign Minister Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan strongly condemned the targeting or threat of targeting, of civilian infrastructure and civilian facilities in the region, including schools, universities, hospitals, water networks, energy facilities, transport centers, and residential areas.
