Geneva – The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, addressed the Human Rights Council today, detailing a rapidly escalating conflict originating with recent strikes by the United States and Israel against targets in Iran. The situation, now extending beyond the immediate region, is characterized by widespread civilian harm and disruption of essential services.
Since the initial exchanges over three weeks ago, Iran has responded with launches of drones and missiles targeting military installations, residential areas, and energy infrastructure in Gulf States including Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates, as well as Jordan. Interceptions of these projectiles have resulted in confirmed civilian casualties and damage to property.
Türk specifically highlighted concerns regarding strikes impacting critical infrastructure. “Ports, energy facilities, airports, water infrastructure, and diplomatic premises have suffered damage, disrupting essential services and increasing risks to all civilians,” he stated. The High Commissioner emphasized that many of these strikes raise serious questions under international humanitarian law, specifically regarding the protection of civilians and the principle of proportionality.
The conflict’s ramifications are not limited to the Gulf region. Türk underscored the deteriorating conditions in Iraq, Syria, and the Occupied Palestinian Territory, noting a spillover of instability. Recent missile strikes targeting sites near nuclear facilities in both Israel and Iran have heightened fears of further escalation, with Türk warning that states are “flirting with unmitigated catastrophe.”
In Lebanon, the situation is described as a “human rights and humanitarian disaster.” According to Lebanese government figures, over 1,000 people have been killed by Israeli military strikes in the past three weeks, including 79 women, 118 children, and 40 medical workers. Reports indicate attacks on apartment buildings resulting in entire families being killed. Simultaneously, Iran and Hezbollah continue to launch missiles and drones into Israel, causing casualties, damage to civilian infrastructure, and displacement.
Within Iran itself, civilians are seeking shelter from airstrikes across all 31 provinces. Iranian government reports indicate approximately 1,400 civilian deaths and over 20,000 injuries. A growing pattern of strikes is affecting residential areas, civilian infrastructure, and sites protected under international law, including housing, hospitals, schools, cultural sites, transport networks, and energy infrastructure.
Alongside the physical dangers of the conflict, Türk condemned increasing state repression within Iran, citing arbitrary arrests, executions, intimidation, and censorship. He reported a complete internet shutdown lasting more than three weeks.
The conflict is also generating significant global economic consequences. Disruption to shipping through the Strait of Hormuz is impacting global supply chains, with particularly severe effects on lower-income countries. Essential goods, including fossil fuels, medicine, food, and fertilizers, are facing delays. The World Food Programme has warned that nearly 45 million more people could face acute hunger if the conflict persists.
Countries across South Asia are particularly vulnerable to these disruptions. Bangladesh has implemented energy-saving measures, including the closure of universities and fuel rationing, while the Philippines has declared a state of national energy emergency. The potential reduction in remittances from migrant workers also poses a threat to families and communities in the region.
Efforts to mitigate the impact of the Strait of Hormuz closure through the release of oil reserves and easing of sanctions have had limited success. Analysis by the UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) shows that insurance premiums and marine fuel costs are surging, driving up prices worldwide. The UN Economic and Social Commission for West Asia estimates the conflict has already caused $63 billion in economic losses across the Arab region.
Türk concluded by reiterating the importance of upholding international law and the UN Charter, and urged all states, particularly those with influence, to work towards a cessation of hostilities. He emphasized the need to reaffirm the multilateral system in the face of attempts to weaken it, and called on all parties to respect international humanitarian and human rights law, emphasizing that deliberate attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure may constitute war crimes.
The High Commissioner’s address ended without a clear indication of forthcoming diplomatic initiatives, leaving the international community to grapple with the escalating crisis and its far-reaching consequences.
