American University of Beirut shifts to online learning after Iranian threats

The American University of Beirut (AUB) announced that it will shift all educational activities to online learning for two days as a precaution following Iranian threats against American institutions in the region.

In a message to students and staff, the university said it had received reports of potential threats targeting American educational institutions, adding that it is closely monitoring the situation and working to verify the information amid widespread media reports.

The administration stressed that there is no confirmed direct threat to the campus or its affiliated medical centres, urging the university community to rely only on official communications for updates.

AUB reaffirmed its rejection of all forms of violence, emphasizing the need to protect educational and healthcare institutions from the effects of conflict and reiterating its commitment to its academic and medical mission.

The move follows a statement by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard, which threatened to target American universities in the Middle East in response to reported US and Israeli strikes that damaged universities inside Iran.

The Revolutionary Guard warned that unless Washington officially condemns those attacks, institutions in the region could become targets of retaliatory strikes. It also advised students and staff at such universities to remain at least one kilometre away from campuses considered potential targets.

Several American universities operate branches across the region, including Texas A&M University in Qatar and New York University Abu Dhabi.

The threats come amid escalating regional tensions, with recent reports of explosions in Tehran affecting the Iran University of Science and Technology, causing structural damage but no reported casualties.