MENA Initiative and students at IHEID stand with the Iranian people!

The Board of the MENA Initiative of the Geneva Graduate Institute, alongside its community

of students and PhDs, expresses its full solidarity with the Iranian people in the face of the

ongoing military aggression and bombing campaign carried out by the state of Israel. We

unequivocally condemn Israel’s unprecedented attack on Iran, which has widely targeted

residential areas, resulting in the deaths of an estimated 600 civilians to date. This act

represents a dangerous escalation and a blatant violation of international law.

This latest aggression comes at a moment when Israel is simultaneously bombing multiple

other countries (occupied Palestinian territory, Lebanon, Syria and Yemen) in the region,

while committing horrific acts of genocide in the Gaza Strip. Israel continues to drive

widespread violence and destabilization across the MENA region.

 

We also reject the justification provided by many Western states framing this attack as a

“liberation mission.” Imperial powers dropping bombs in the name of “freedom” will never

bring true liberation, but only devastation. No internal political situation can ever justify such

foreign intervention. Nor can this assault be portrayed as an act of self-defense. It is clear

aggression, and the argument of a supposed nuclear threat is untenable. We have seen such

narratives employed before by Western powers to manufacture pretexts for invasion and

bombing campaigns — narratives that serve only to legitimize grave violations and crimes. In

reality, the only nuclear armed state and the only real threat in the region is Israel.

We also note with grave concern that this escalation has served to divert international

attention from the genocide being perpetrated by Israel against Palestinians in Gaza.

 

As we grieve the loss of life, we unequivocally condemn Israel’s attack and stand in full

solidarity with the Iranian people, who are being killed and forcibly displaced by Israel. We

also express our unwavering solidarity and support for all Iranian students at the Geneva

Graduate Institute, grappling with their studies and student life in Geneva, while

simultaneously having to deal with their home country being bombed and fearing for their

own and their families’ safety.

 

Lastly, we call on the Geneva Graduate Institute to fulfil its responsibility in ensuring the

safety and well-being of its Iranian students. The Institute and its networks must play an

active role in supporting all students affected by this situation.

 

We reached out to the administration to inquire about the measures being taken to support

Iranian students at this critical time. The administration has already contacted all

Iranian students to offer solidarity and inform them of available support (psychological,

logistical, academic, and financial), assuring that all requests will be handled with care and

discretion. Please find below the according address to reach out to:

 

● For psychological support:wellbeing-support@graduateinstitute.ch

● For administrative or logistical matters (e.g. visas, permits):

studentwelcome@graduateinstitute.ch

● For academic accommodations (e.g. deadline extensions, adjustments to study

plans): directionetudes@graduateinstitute.ch

● For financial difficulties:specialaid@graduateinstitute.ch

 

We also encourage all Iranian students in distress to contact us in case they need any form of

support regarding the current developments.