A United Nations fact-finding mission has said there are grounds to believe both the United States and Iran committed violations of international humanitarian law during their recent conflict, including acts that may amount to war crimes.
The findings were presented by the UN Independent International Fact-Finding Mission on Iran at the Human Rights Council in Geneva.
The mission said it had documented serious violations during the 12-day conflict, including attacks that allegedly resulted in civilian deaths and injuries and damage to civilian infrastructure.
According to the investigators, some US attacks in Iran may have failed to comply with the principles of distinction and proportionality required under international humanitarian law.
The mission also said Iran’s attacks on Israel and other locations raised similar concerns, particularly where civilian areas or infrastructure were affected.
The investigators said their findings were based on information gathered from multiple sources, including satellite imagery, witness accounts, publicly available material and other evidence.
The mission stressed that its findings were not a final judicial determination of individual criminal responsibility. Further investigation and assessment would be required before any legal conclusions could be established in court.
The conflict began after the United States and Israel launched military operations against Iran, with Tehran responding with missile and drone attacks against Israel and US-linked targets.
The fighting lasted 12 days before a ceasefire was reached, bringing a temporary halt to the exchange of attacks.
The UN investigators also examined alleged human rights violations inside Iran during and after the conflict. They said Iranian authorities had carried out arrests and other measures against people suspected of supporting or collaborating with foreign powers.
The mission expressed concern over reports of arbitrary detention, enforced disappearances and other abuses, saying some actions appeared to have been carried out without sufficient legal safeguards.
Iran has rejected accusations of widespread abuses and has defended its security measures as necessary to protect the country during a period of conflict.
The United States and Israel have also defended their military operations, saying they were aimed at addressing security threats posed by Iran.
The UN mission called on all parties to comply with international law and urged authorities to conduct credible investigations into alleged violations.
It said accountability would be important in addressing the consequences of the conflict and preventing further violations of international humanitarian and human rights law.
The findings are expected to contribute to wider international scrutiny of the conduct of the conflict, although the mission’s conclusions do not themselves constitute a criminal conviction or court ruling against either country.
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