United Nations investigators on Monday issued a stark warning regarding the “extensive suffering” caused by ongoing Israeli attacks in Iran, expressing particular alarm over the safety of detainees held in proximity to bombed sites. As the conflict intensifies into its eleventh day, the UN’s Independent International Fact-Finding Mission on Iran, alongside the UN’s special rapporteur on the human rights situation in the country, implored all parties to “respect international law and protect civilians.”
In a joint statement, the independent experts strongly condemned what appeared to be Israeli strikes on non-military targets. “Some attacks — including the targeting of the headquarters of Iran’s state broadcasting agency… and the targeted killing of scientists — appear to have been carried out in violation of the principle of distinction under international humanitarian law,” they stated. This principle is a cornerstone of international humanitarian law, requiring warring parties to differentiate between combatants and civilians, and between military objectives and civilian objects, directing attacks solely at the former.
Of grave concern to the experts, who are mandated by the UN Human Rights Council but do not speak on behalf of the broader United Nations, is the precarious situation of detainees in Iran “held in prisons near sites of bombings.” They issued an urgent call for Iranian authorities to “relocate prisoners away from locations at risk from the airstrikes.” This appeal followed reports that Israel had earlier on Monday struck Tehran’s notorious Evin jail, a facility known to hold political prisoners, including a number of foreign nationals. While the precise proximity of Evin Prison to known military or nuclear targets in Tehran is not definitively established in public reports, its targeting raises serious humanitarian concerns given its population.
Since Israel commenced large-scale attacks targeting Iran’s missile and nuclear facilities on June 13, Iran’s health ministry has reported over 400 fatalities in the country. Human rights organizations have cited even higher tolls, with some reports indicating at least 865 deaths, including civilians, women, and children, and over 3,000 injured. These strikes have reportedly hit residential areas and even a clinic for children with autism. In retaliation, Iranian attacks on Israel have resulted in 24 deaths, according to official figures, with over 1,200 injured.
The escalating hostilities, which have also seen U.S. forces strike Iranian nuclear facilities, have triggered widespread internal displacement within Iran, with millions reportedly fleeing major cities like Tehran for fear of further attacks. Civilian populations are enduring severe psychological strain, exacerbated by a reported lack of effective advance warning systems and limited access to shelters in densely populated urban centers. Furthermore, restrictions on fuel distribution and challenges in facilitating evacuations have amplified panic and raised concerns about access to essential services and healthcare.
The UN investigators urged the international community to take “principled and coordinated action” to uphold international law, prevent further escalation, and cease hostilities. They underscored that failure to act could plunge the entire region into a deeper abyss of conflict.
