With the fallout from the war among the United States, Israel, and Iran, U.S. universities in the Middle East have moved into emergency mode, closing campuses one after another or restricting access. In particular, with Iran designating these universities as "legitimate targets," some say even educational institutions are now directly exposed to danger.
According to the Washington Post (WP) on the 5th local time, U.S. universities located in the Middle East are locking down in unison to prepare for Iranian airstrikes. The American University of Beirut (AUB) in Lebanon has restricted entry to everyone except essential personnel, and major campuses in Education City in Doha, Qatar—Georgetown University, Cornell University, and Northwestern University—have also been closed indefinitely.
These universities had already shifted classes to remote or hybrid (a combination of remote and in-person classes) formats after the United States and Israel declared war on Iran in February, but as the intensity of recent airstrikes has increased, their responses appear to have been further strengthened.
In fact, Iran initially focused airstrikes on U.S. military bases and airports and oil facilities, but recently it has moved to expand the scope of its attacks. On the 29th of last month, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said, "From now on, all universities of the occupying state (Israel) and American universities in West Asia will be considered legitimate targets of attack," and "We advise all employees, students, and nearby residents of U.S.-related universities in the region to stay at least 1 km away from the facilities."
Earlier, Iran's science ministry announced that more than 30 universities nationwide, including Isfahan University of Technology and Iran University of Science and Technology in Tehran, had been attacked, and the IRGC is seen as targeting U.S. universities in retaliation.
As a result, anxiety among local university communities is gradually growing. In Lebanon, where Israel's military operations are underway with Hezbollah's participation, more than 1 million people have fled, and many of them are reportedly crowding near the AUB campus. Security is being strengthened with bag checks at campus entrances, and support activities such as free medical care are being provided inside, but safety concerns are hardly being dispelled.
Fadlo Khuri, president of AUB, said, "We are quietly sheltering hundreds of people with nowhere to go," and noted, "We are providing meals to local residents," sharing the situation.
The U.S. government also recognizes the risk. The U.S. Embassy in Lebanon urged its citizens to leave immediately, warning that "Iran-linked terrorist organizations may attack universities in Lebanon." Hezbollah figures also said, "As the United States and Israel are killing children, children in U.S. institutions could also become targets," further heightening tensions.
Some also say the sustainability of the educational network built in the Middle East is wavering due to this war. Beginning with New England missionaries establishing educational institutions in Beirut, Lebanon, and Istanbul, Türkiye, in the 19th century, U.S. universities set up satellite campuses in the Gulf region, further expanding their global network.
In particular, from the late 1990s to the early 2000s, Virginia Commonwealth University, Carnegie Mellon University, and Texas A&M University made major inroads into the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Qatar, and more than 10 campuses are now established across the Middle East.
Filippo Dionigi, a professor of international relations at the University of Bristol, said, "U.S.-affiliated universities may be perceived as having security risks similar to military bases," and noted, "It will become more difficult to recruit foreign faculty and international students." In fact, Texas A&M University is reportedly set to close its Qatar campus by 2028, citing "heightened regional instability."