Iran's Minister of Science, Research and Technology Hossein Simaei-Sarraf said on Saturday more than 30 Iranian universities have been directly attacked by the United States and Israel since the beginning of the war in late February.
Speaking to reporters at Shahid Beheshti University in Tehran, which was hit in a U.S. and Israeli airstrike on Friday, he said five professors and more than 60 students had been killed. He described the strikes on education and research facilities as violations of international law and crimes against humanity.
"The place you see is actually at Shahid Beheshti University and opposite the Laser Research Institute. Last week, we had the same situation at the University of Science and Technology in another research center. And earlier at the Isfahan University of Technology, we witnessed two brutal attacks on the country's higher education centers. In general, I can say that more than 30 of our universities have been directly attacked to date," Simaei-Sarraf said.
"They are attacking a scientific center. Today, as we stand here, millions of our students are deprived of education, training and research. Our country is a country that is providing scientific human resources to the world," Simaei-Sarraf said.
The Iranian official stressed that attacking universities and research centers means returning to the Stone Age.
At the university, students expressed deep concern over their lives and their future.
"I am very upset. They attacked both our university and the dormitory, which was the place where my friends lived. I don't know when they will be able to return or when studies will resume," said Mohammad Azizmi, a civil engineering PhD Student.
According to the Iranian Red Crescent Society, U.S. and Israeli strikes since Feb 28 have destroyed or damaged 763 schools and tens of thousands of civilian sites across Iran, including commercial units, health centers and scientific institutions. The group also reported casualties among responders and medical staff, underscoring the civilian toll alongside the attacks on universities.
Iranian officials say the strikes on schools and universities are aimed at crippling the country’s scientific and educational base, portraying them as attacks on the nation's future rather than military targets.
Iran accuses US, Israel of striking over 30 universities, calls attacks crimes against humanity
Iran accuses US, Israel of striking over 30 universities, calls attacks crimes against humanity
China's Qingming Festival holiday has turned flower viewing into a showcase of cultural heritage, drawing tourists and boosting local economies.
From references to "The Book of Songs", a treasured Confucian classic and China's oldest poetry collection, to longstanding flower festivals, organizers are promoting flower viewing as cultural tourism, weaving poetry and tradition into spring outings.
Hebi City in central China's Henan Province is drawing crowds with magnolias, tulips and crabapples, alongside 87 cherry blossom varieties. The blooms have become a major Qingming Festival attraction, prompting local authorities to pair tourism with cultural heritage.
As one of the birthplaces of The Book of Songs, Hebi has launched a campaign offering free entry to scenic spots for visitors who recite verses from the ancient classic. The initiative links flower viewing with a text long regarded as a cornerstone of Chinese literature.
In Binzhou, east China's Shandong Province, a park spanning 240 hectares, roughly the size of 330 football fields, is covered in blossoms, making it one of the largest spring displays in the region. The park uses smart drip irrigation to keep flowers hydrated and extend their peak season.
Originating in the Southern Song Dynasty (1127-1279), the Huazhao (Flower Deities) Festival in Xinzhou District of Wuhan boasts more than 800 years of history. Listed as a provincial intangible cultural heritage in 2011, it remains the largest folk celebration in eastern Hubei, drawing thousands of visitors each spring. A parade featuring 12 flower deities winds through the streets, anchoring the festival as both a cultural showcase and a tourism draw.
"The plum blossom represents noble character, the peach blossom radiant beauty. We hope more people will come to discover the Huazhao Festival," said Qinghuan, a performer portraying the Osmanthus Deity.
Outside the Shanxi Museum in Taiyuan City, apricot trees are in full bloom. Their pale pink petals flutter in the breeze, lining the museum's corridors and echoing the deep history within. Visitors pause to photograph the unique blend of ancient architecture and fleeting spring beauty.
During the Qingming Festival holiday, the Beijing Garden of World's Flowers turned into a "spring palette." A nearly 2,000-square-meter sea of flowers burst into color. Against this floral backdrop, traditional experiences such as archery, tea whisking and movable-type printing drew crowds seeking a holiday filled with blossoms and cultural charm.
The garden features over 40 varieties of alpine and deciduous rhododendrons in shades of purple, pink and white, layered like clouds of silk. Along the flower-lined paths, colorful benches and ribbons create picture-perfect spots. Visitors wander, stop to admire, or raise their phones to capture a moment of spring romance.
"We hope these vibrant, contrasting floral colors bring a little healing and joy to people's lives, a space to relax and find peace amid the spring bloom," said Shi Wenfang, director of the Beijing Garden of World's Flowers. Beyond flower viewing, the garden is hosting its annual Huazhao Festival during the holiday. Now in its fifth year, the event has attracted nearly 300,000 visitors in total. The festivities run through April 6.
Falling on April 5 this year, the Qingming Festival, or Tomb-Sweeping Day, is a traditional Chinese festival for honoring the deceased and paying tributes to ancestors. The three-day holiday from Saturday to Monday also provides a short break for Chinese citizens to enjoy outdoor activities and sightseeing in pleasant springtime temperatures.
Compiled between the Western Zhou Dynasty and the Spring and Autumn Period (1100 B.C. - 476 B.C.), "The Book of Songs" contains at least 305 poems and is recognized as a Confucian classic.
Flower viewing draws holiday crowds across China during Qingming Festival
