It is an undeniable reality that the overt aggression by the United States and the Zionist regime against the Islamic Republic of Iran constitutes a flagrant and indisputable violation of the Charter of the United Nations and fundamental international law.
The recourse to force against the territorial integrity and political independence of Iran, strictly prohibited under the explicit provisions of Article 2, Paragraph 4, of the UN Charter, not only undermines the very foundations of international law but also renders this aggression a stark symbol of the collapse of the international legal and normative order. This situation has been orchestrated by two criminal actors.
The first is subject to prosecution before the International Criminal Court for committing grave crimes against humanity and war crimes in Gaza. The second, acting with delusion and arrogance, makes a performative assertion of adherence to human rights values and international law, while in reality prioritizing its own selfish national and individual political interests. Relying on raw force, he seeks to strip away all human values and rights, aiming to plunge the world into a state governed by the law of the jungle.
This aggression commenced with the heinous crime of assassination of the former Leader of the Islamic Revolution, members of his family, and a number of the country’s military commanders. This crime, in addition to constituting a fundamental violation of the right to life (pursuant to Article 3 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and Article 6 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights) and the right to personal security, represents a clear act of aggression against Iran’s national sovereignty and a gross violation of the principle of non-interference in the internal affairs of states.
This crime, committed in line with other horrific acts, demonstrates utter disregard for international laws and norms and constitutes a violation of the principle of human dignity. Subsequent to this aggression, brutal acts have been and are being perpetrated that violate numerous established principles of human rights and humanitarian law. Attacks on civilian centers, residential areas, relief facilities, hospitals and ambulances, Red Crescent buildings, historical and cultural heritage sites, economic and energy infrastructure, and etc. that constitute explicit violations of human rights and international humanitarian law, including the principle of distinction, which emphasizes the necessity of distinguishing between civilians and combatants, as well as between civilian property and military objectives. Specifically, the terrorist attack on the Shajareh Tayyebeh Girls’ School in Minab and the brutal massacre of schoolgirls is a harrowing example of the violation of the principles of distinction and precaution in attack.
These actions contravene international obligations concerning the protection of civilians, civilian objects, and critical infrastructure, and constitute clear instances of war crimes. Furthermore, the assassination of Iranian political figures and scientists by the United States and the Zionist regime, along with the audacious act of publishing a list of future assassinations, constitutes another grave violation of international law and human rights. These acts, aimed at creating disorder and interfering in Iran’s national sovereignty and disrupting its security, political, social, scientific, cultural, and economic stability, are clear instances of international crimes and place a heavy responsibility upon the perpetrators of these aggressions and crimes.
These assassinations not only violate the right to life and the right to personal security but also obstruct the right of the Iranian people to enjoy scientific and cultural development. By targeting the country's leaders, they further constitute an assault on the right of the people to self-determination. The publication of a list of future assassinations constitutes an explicit and unashamed admission of the commission of these international crimes. It is crystal clear that the Zionist regime and the United States, by committing a long and extensive list of war crimes and widespread human rights violations, bear undeniable responsibility for their actions. In this regard, all states, international organizations, and human rights bodies, particularly the Human Rights Council and the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, have a grave and undeniable duty. To remain silent in the face of these organized crimes and systematic assassinations is not only a betrayal of the fundamental principles of human rights and humanitarian law but also effectively grants a license for the continuation of these barbaric crimes.
Now is the time for these institutions to take a firm stand against such actions, put an end to these crimes, and ensure accountability for those responsible. Otherwise, should no action be taken and the current trajectory persists, all the human rights frameworks and arrangements established to safeguard international peace and security will face complete destruction and collapse. The world looks to international institutions, especially human rights bodies and mechanisms, for urgent action to prevent the continuation of these unlawful crimes that violate fundamental human rights.