American University in Armenia halts in-person teaching over Iran threat

2026-03-30 - 10:13

The American University of Armenia said on Monday it was moving all classes online over Iranian threats to target US universities in West Asia. Several US universities have campuses scattered throughout the Middle East, including Texas A&M University in Qatar and New York University in the United Arab Emirates. Iran threatened to target US universities in the Middle East after saying US-Israeli strikes had destroyed two Iranian universities. “Due to the threat made by Iran to target American universities in West Asia and the Middle East, all AUA classes on Monday, March 30, will be held fully online,” the university said in a statement. The American University of Armenia said it had received no direct threats and stressed there was no cause for alarm, calling the move “a precautionary measure”. Iran’s Revolutionary Guard issued a statement, carried by Iranian media on Sunday, saying: “If the US government wants its universities in the region to be free from retaliation... it must condemn the bombing of the universities in an official statement by 12 noon on Monday, March 30, Tehran time.” They advised “all employees, professors and students of American universities in the region and residents of their surrounding areas” to stay one kilometre (mile) away from campuses. The same day, the American University of Beirut — one of the most prominent US institutions in the region — said it would operate remotely over the next two days. In Jordan, the American University of Madaba, about 35 kilometres (22 miles) southwest of the capital Amman, also said it was holding online classes until Thursday for its 3,000 students. AFP