In March and April of 2026, reports submitted by United Nations human rights experts and the Human Rights Council’s Independent International Fact-Finding Mission on Iran referenced aggressive attacks perpetrated by the United States and the Israeli regime against Iran.
United Nations human rights experts recently condemned the illicit military aggressions by the United States and Israel against Iran, asserting:
“The attacks, which were unprovoked and carried out without any provocative action by Iran, were conducted by the United States and Israel in the midst of diplomatic negotiations and without authorization from the UN Security Council. They violate the fundamental prohibition on the use of force, the principle of sovereign equality of states, territorial integrity, and the obligation to peacefully settle disputes as set out in Article 2 of the Charter of the United Nations. These attacks also violate the right to life.”
They also expressed their deep concern over Iran’s retaliatory attacks across the Persian Gulf region and the Middle East, and noted that any use of force under the framework of legitimate self-defense must conform to the criteria of necessity and proportionality. They added: “One cannot engage selectively with international law, abiding by it only in certain cases. Illegal military intervention is not a solution to Iran’s nuclear issue, nor to countering alleged terrorism, nor to the human rights situation in this country.”
The experts warned that these attacks are part of a broader pattern of unilateral and illegal actions by the United States and Israel that has driven the entire region toward instability, including causing the arbitrary displacement of thousands of people.
They also expressed concern over Israel’s repeated attacks against Lebanon, which have openly and repeatedly violated international law and the ceasefire agreement, and have caused the displacement, injury, and killing of civilians.
They therefore called on all parties to immediately end the fighting and resume diplomatic dialogue, and stressed that there is no practical alternative to the peaceful settlement of disputes.
They went on to state:
“These attacks do not merely target abstract military objectives; they target human beings.” They added: “Civilians are the group paying the highest price for this war, with their lives, security, environment, and health. This is happening in a country where thousands of citizens had already lost their lives in the unrest that began on December 28, 2025, and these attacks now deepen an already existing humanitarian catastrophe.”
The assault perpetrated upon an elementary school situated in Minab, Hormozgan province, which reportedly occasioned the demise of over 160 students and inflicted injuries upon numerous others, constitutes an additional incident that has garnered the scrutiny of international legal scholars, who have similarly denounced this egregious offense. Reports have also been published regarding attacks on other densely populated areas, the Iranian Red Crescent Society, and numerous hospitals, including Tehran’s Gandhi Hotel Hospital and Khatam-al-Anbia Hospital. In this regard, it was stated: “Targeting civilians, educational centers, and medical institutions constitutes a flagrant violation of international humanitarian law and international human rights law.” The experts believe: “Military intervention should not be regarded as a solution to addressing the demands and grievances of the Iranian people, just as any future nuclear agreement that disregards these broader demands should not be mistakenly viewed as a solution to these problems either. It should therefore be noted that calls by the United States and Israel for Iranians to take control of their own government are a reckless act that puts the lives of countless civilians at risk.”
Regarding the recently instigated armed conflict, the Independent International Fact-Finding Mission on the Islamic Republic of Iran formally urged all belligerent parties embroiled in the ongoing regional dispute to cease all hostilities, discontinue rhetoric that incites or legitimizes violence, and, after weeks of devastating warfare that caused the demise of thousands of civilians, fully comply with international law.
The rising civilian death toll and the extensive damage to civilian infrastructure and essential medical, scientific, and educational facilities in Iran, caused by airstrikes carried out by the United States and the Zionist regime, will result in irreparable harm and long-term consequences for Iranian civilians. If established, some of these attacks may constitute war crimes, including the deliberate targeting of civilians or the carrying out of attacks in disregard of the principle of proportionality, as defined under international humanitarian law.
The Mission strongly condemns statements by senior United States government officials that disregard binding obligations under international law. These include statements about bombing Iran “back to the stone age,” striking “all” bridges and power plants, and destroying Iran’s “entire civilization.” Such declarations, coupled with earlier statements describing the laws governing armed conflict as “stupid” and favoring “lethality” over “legality,” may indicate violations and crimes under international law.
In particular, international humanitarian law prohibits threats of violence whose primary purpose is to spread terror among civilians. American commanders and the forces under their command must comply with international rules, showing full respect for international humanitarian law and precisely applying the authoritative legal guidance of the States Department of Defense’s “Law of War Manual.”
The human toll from acts of aggression by the United States and the Zionist regime grew steadily over the course of the war, with more than 3,000 deaths reported. At least 216 children, 251 women, and three emergency personnel from the Iranian Red Crescent Society were killed, and 1,881 children and 4,610 women were wounded.
Iran’s health and educational infrastructure also suffered extensive damage. Reports indicated that at least 315 medical and emergency centers, 760 schools and educational centers, and 29 universities were damaged or affected. Among these, the Pasteur Institute in Tehran—one of the country’s oldest research and health institutions—was struck on April 2. The Tofigh Daru pharmaceutical facility, which produced medications for cancer and MS patients, was also damaged in an earlier attack on March 31.
In addition, the International Atomic Energy Agency confirmed that strikes had affected nuclear facilities in Khondab (Markazi province), Yazd, and Bushehr, with the Bushehr facility reportedly struck for a fourth time. Strikes affecting nuclear facilities raise further concerns, including the risk of radiation exposure and severe, long-term environmental damage.
The Fact-Finding Mission recalled that international humanitarian law strictly prohibits directing attacks against civilian centers and considers their deliberate commission to constitute a war crime.
Special precautions must be taken regarding facilities and sites containing dangerous substances, such as nuclear power plants. Likewise, attacks against military targets are prohibited if it is determined that they would cause incidental civilian harm excessive in relation to the anticipated military advantage.
The Mission immediately called for a comprehensive, human-rights-based peace process involving all parties. It also called for impartial, effective, and transparent investigations by the parties into allegations of international law violations, and for the prompt publication of their results. This includes the United States Department of War’s investigation into the attack on the Shajarat al-Tayyibah elementary school in Minab, Hormozgan province, which reportedly killed 168 students and teachers. Although a temporary ceasefire was achieved in the interim—a welcome and vital step—a permanent end to hostilities in the region is essential.
Sources of The Reports:
