"During the US and Zionist regime attacks on civilian centres, on the morning of Tuesday, one of the largest companies producing anti-cancer, anaesthetic and specialised medicines was damaged and the drug production line was damaged," the government said in a post on X.

The pharmaceutical company was named as Tofigh Daru Research & Engineering Company, which is owned by the Social Security Investment Company, a state-run holding firm.

On LinkedIn, Tofigh Daru says it develops and produces active pharmaceutical ingredients "in the anticancer, narcotics, cardiovascular to immunomodulatory segments."

Iran has long faced chronic shortages of medicines, partly due to UN sanctions imposed over its nuclear programme.

The sanctions have crippled essential trade services such as banking, while scaring off drug companies from doing business in Iran, even though humanitarian products are exempt.

The Islamic republic relies for the most part on its own domestic production, while importing limited quantities of ingredients and specialised drugs from countries such as India and Japan.

The US and Israel have broadened their strikes beyond the strictly military sphere since the two allies launched the war on February 28.

In recent days, targets have included steel production facilities and universities in Tehran and central Isfahan.

Iran has vowed in each case to retaliate with strikes on similar targets either in Israel or neighbouring Gulf countries.

bur-mz-adp/ser

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