US-Israel Attacks on Iran Raise Widespread Concerns at Human Rights Council

This article is reprinted from [Xinhua News Agency];

Xinhua News Agency, Geneva, March 21 (Reporter Shi Song) During the 61st session of the United Nations Human Rights Council, widespread concern has been raised over the military strikes launched by the United States and Israel against Iran. Multiple parties have pointed out that these actions have caused significant civilian casualties and severely damaged civilian infrastructure, negatively impacting regional security and humanitarian conditions.

High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk stated in a release on the 19th that since the U.S. and Israel launched airstrikes against Iran, the conflict has continued to escalate and spill over, causing serious casualties in many parts of Iran and affecting civilians across the Middle East and beyond. He noted that the U.S.-Israel airstrikes have a wide range of impact, damaging residential areas, medical facilities, schools, shops, courts, UNESCO World Heritage sites, and energy facilities.

Sara Hussein, Chair of the UN Independent International Fact-Finding Mission on Iran, recently stated that on February 28, the U.S. and Israel launched a large-scale airstrike against Iran, resulting in civilian casualties including children. In her latest report to the Human Rights Council, she pointed out that multiple infrastructure targets such as residential areas, oil storage facilities, and desalination plants were hit and damaged, causing “serious harm” to Iranian civilians.

Maiko Sato, Special Rapporteur on the Situation of Human Rights in Iran for the UN Human Rights Council, recently said that since the outbreak of conflict, the humanitarian situation inside Iran has continued to deteriorate and has attracted widespread attention. She noted that there are many refugees and internally displaced persons in Iran, and many cities lack effective air-raid warning systems and protective facilities, which has heightened concerns about the safety of civilians during the war.

Ali Baghreini, Iran’s Permanent Representative to the UN in Geneva, repeatedly stated during the Human Rights Council meeting that the attack by the U.S. and Israel on a primary school in Minab on February 28 constitutes a war crime, and the international community should not remain silent about these actions.

According to data released by the Iranian Red Crescent Society on the 21st, more than 80,000 civilian facilities in Iran have been attacked by the U.S. and Israel, including 266 medical centers and 498 schools that have been directly or indirectly targeted.