WANA (Jun 27) – On Thursday, Jun 26, a group of United Nations Special Rapporteurs on human rights issued a statement strongly condemning the recent U.S. military strikes on three nuclear facilities in Iran.

 

The statement declared: “These attacks violate the most fundamental principles of the international order since 1945, including the prohibition on the aggressive use of military force, the obligation to respect national sovereignty, and the requirement to refrain from coercive interference in the internal affairs of other states. Political and military leaders in the United States may be held accountable for the international crime of aggression.”

 

The rapporteurs warned that the attacks posed a grave threat to human rights, including the rights to life, personal security, health, a clean environment, and the right of the Iranian people to self-determination.

 

According to the statement, the United States launched 75 munitions by air and sea targeting nuclear facilities in Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan, causing extensive damage. In retaliation, Iran attacked a U.S. base in Qatar, though no casualties were reported. A fragile ceasefire now appears to be in place.

 

Citing Article 2(4) of the UN Charter, the experts emphasized that the use or threat of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state is prohibited, even under the pretext of preemptive self-defense against perceived threats.

 

The statement further noted: “Iran has not attacked the United States or Israel with nuclear weapons, nor is there any credible evidence suggesting it intends to do so imminently.”

 

The independent experts warned that legitimizing preemptive self-defense would mark the beginning of a disastrous era in which “might makes right,” allowing powerful countries to bomb others in the name of security or foreign policy interests. This, they argued, would fuel mistrust, arms races, and unstable power blocs, further destabilizing the Middle East and increasing the risk of human rights violations globally.

 

They also referred to the position of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), which has consistently stated that nuclear facilities should never be targeted. Such attacks risk releasing radioactive materials with catastrophic consequences for both the environment and human rights. International humanitarian law generally prohibits military attacks on nuclear facilities.

 

The rapporteurs cautioned that such actions by the United States — a permanent member of the UN Security Council tasked with maintaining global peace and security — normalize violent aggression and undermine diplomacy as a tool of governance, thereby seriously weakening the rule of international law.

 

The statement concluded: “At a time when multilateralism is under severe strain, all nations must reject this lawlessness and pressure both the United States and Israel to respect the global rules of humanity.”