UN Human Rights Spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani remarks on the military escalation in the Middle East

“The fear, the panic, the anxiety experienced by millions of people in the Middle East and beyond is palpable – and was entirely avoidable. The situation is worsening and widening by the hour, playing out our worst fears,” the UN Human rights spokesperson said.

“UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk says he is deeply shocked by the impacts of the widespread hostilities on civilians and civilian infrastructure since the conflict erupted on Saturday with Israel and the United States of America’s attacks on Iran, Iran’s response against States across the region, as well as Hezbollah’s subsequent entry into the conflict,” Shamdasani stated.

“The laws of war are crystal clear. Civilians, and civilian objects are protected. All States, and armed groups, must abide by these laws,” she added.

The High Commissioner calls on all parties to exercise maximum restraint, prevent further escalation, and take all feasible measures to protect civilians, including foreign nationals, as well as critical infrastructure. Returning to the negotiating table is the one and only way to bring an end to the killing, destruction and despair.

“So far, besides Iran and Israel, the hostilities have impacted 12 other States, destroying or damaging private homes, offices and businesses, airports, energy infrastructure, amongst other civilian infrastructure,” Shamdasani said.

“In the single deadliest – and devastating – incident, dozens of girls were reportedly killed and injured when their primary school in Minab in the south of the country was struck during the school day,” she stated.

“I mean, children, little girls in the middle of the school day, at the beginning of the school day, being killed in this manner, backpacks with, you know, blood stains on them. This is absolutely horrific. And I think if there's any image that captures the essence of the destruction, despair and senselessness and cruelty of this conflict, those are the images,” she added

The High Commissioner calls for a prompt, impartial and thorough investigation into the circumstances of the attack. The onus is on the forces that carried out the attack to investigate it. The UN Human Rights Office calls on them to make public the findings and ensure accountability and redress for victims.

“The Iranian military has responded to the U.S. and Israeli attacks, deploying hundreds of missiles and drones, among other weapons systems, against States across the region, killing civilians and causing damage to civilian infrastructure. In the central Israeli city of Beit Shemesh, nine people were killed when a missile struck a residential area,” Shamdasani said.

“We are also gravely concerned by the escalation of hostilities in Lebanon after Hezbollah fired barrages of projectiles into Israel, and the heavy counterstrikes of Israel, including in Beirut. We urge both parties to immediately end this major escalation in violence and to return to the agreed ceasefire,” Shamdasani added.

Reports say there have been civilian casualties and damage to civilian infrastructure, and significant re-displacement as a result of the Israeli strikes in the south of the country, and southern suburbs of Beirut. Information received indicates that nearly 30,000 residents had fled the affected areas overnight, on top of the already 64,000 already displaced.

“Across Iran, we have grave concerns for the welfare of the population, given the Government’s record of cracking down with lethal force on broad scale against those who oppose their rule and new threats of senior officials against any expression of dissent at this time,” she said.

The spokesperson also voiced concern over that many Iranians are again unable to access the Internet, and hence have limited access to essential information, including that necessary to seek safety from the ongoing hostilities. She called for the immediate restoration of telecommunications services.

“Human rights must not be instrumentalized or used as a bargaining chip by any State – we know from painful history what the results of the use of brute, external force can mean for human rights. Human rights need to be central to Iran’s future,” the spokesperson said.

ENDS

For more information and media requests, please contact

In Geneva:

Ravina Shamdasani: +41 22 917 9169 / / ravina.shamdasani@un.org

Jeremy Laurence: +41 22 917 9383 / jeremy.laurence@un.org

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