AhlulBayt News Agency (ABNA): The Human Rights Headquarters of the Islamic Republic of Iran, issuing a statement, while strongly condemning the U.S. military attacks on various areas of Iran and the resulting extensive damage to public infrastructure and civilian property, announced that the immunity of civilians, protection of vital infrastructure, and respect for peremptory norms of international law are a shared responsibility of all governments and international institutions, and any selective approach toward violations of these principles will seriously challenge the credibility of the international legal system, international humanitarian law, and global mechanisms for the protection of human rights.
The full text of this statement is as follows:
The Human Rights Headquarters of the Islamic Republic of Iran condemns in the strongest terms the military attacks by the United States of America against various areas of the Islamic Republic of Iran on July 8 and 13, 2026, which, according to official reports, resulted in the martyrdom and injury of a number of Iranian citizens and extensive damage to public infrastructure and civilian property.
These attacks have been carried out at a time when the Islamic Republic of Iran and the United States of America had reached an understanding on a ceasefire and the initiation of a dialogue process with the aim of reducing tensions, preventing the escalation of conflicts, and preparing the ground for a return to the path of diplomacy. The recent military actions, which U.S. officials claim were carried out based on the violation of the ceasefire, not only contradict the spirit and purpose of such an understanding but also seriously undermine the mutual trust necessary for advancing peaceful solutions and adherence to the principle of good faith in the implementation of international commitments.
According to announced information, in these attacks, more than 250 points in the country, mainly in the southern regions, were targeted. It has also been reported that as a result of these actions, 20 of our compatriots, including one Iranian woman, were martyred, 150 were injured, two of whom were women, 14 surgeries were performed on the injured, and 102 were discharged after receiving medical treatment. These statistics are not merely numbers; each one represents human suffering, irreparable loss, and harm inflicted upon families and Iranian society.
According to published reports, one of the most important targets of these attacks was the international railway line of Golestan province; an infrastructure serving public transportation, economic exchanges, sustainable development, and regional connectivity. In the recent attacks, several ports in southern Iran were targeted, electricity in parts of Chabahar was cut off, projectiles landed near the Bushehr nuclear power plant, and railway lines, including the Agh Teke Khan railway bridge, were damaged. Targeting such facilities, if proven, not only disrupts the daily lives of citizens and the provision of public services but also directly affects human security, the right to development, and access to public services. This attack is another example of the targeting of civilian infrastructure, the effects of which directly impact ordinary people and their fundamental rights.
The Human Rights Headquarters of the Islamic Republic of Iran emphasizes that attacks on civilian targets and infrastructure with a civilian nature and function are in clear violation of fundamental principles of international law, including the principle of distinction between military and civilian targets, and customary rules of international humanitarian law. Furthermore, the protection of civilians and the immunity of vital infrastructure essential for the continuation of normal life are indisputable obligations of states under international law, and the violation of these obligations will entail the international responsibility of the perpetrator state.
Moreover, the United Nations Charter, particularly Article 2, paragraph 4, prohibits any threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of states and emphasizes the principle of peaceful settlement of disputes as one of the fundamental pillars of the international legal order. Additionally, the violation of commitments arising from ceasefire agreements and disregard for the principle of pacta sunt servanda (faithfulness to treaties) is considered, from the perspective of international law, conduct contrary to international obligations and detrimental to international peace and security.
The Human Rights Headquarters of the Islamic Republic of Iran expects the Secretary-General of the United Nations, the Human Rights Council, the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, the International Committee of the Red Cross, and other competent international bodies to explicitly and in the strongest terms condemn these attacks and, within the framework of their responsibilities and legal competencies, place on their agenda practical and effective measures to halt flagrant violations of international law, ensure accountability of perpetrators, prevent the recurrence of such unlawful actions, and ensure full compensation for damages to victims and their families.
The Human Rights Headquarters of the Islamic Republic of Iran emphasizes that the immunity of civilians, protection of vital infrastructure, and respect for peremptory norms of international law are a shared responsibility of all governments and international institutions, and any selective approach to violations of these principles will seriously challenge the credibility of the international legal system, international humanitarian law, and global mechanisms for the protection of human rights.
The Islamic Republic of Iran reserves its right to pursue all legal, international, and judicial dimensions of these attacks, to demand international accountability of the perpetrators, to prosecute and punish the commanders and perpetrators of these actions in competent authorities, and to demand full compensation for material and moral damages incurred, in accordance with international law, and emphasizes the necessity of ending impunity for flagrant violations of international law.
The Human Rights Headquarters of the Islamic Republic of Iran, while expressing deep sympathy with the families of the martyrs and wishing a speedy recovery for the injured of these attacks, once again emphasizes the necessity of unconditional respect for the United Nations Charter, international law, international humanitarian law, and fundamental rules for the protection of civilians, and calls on the international community to adopt a responsible and decisive stance to prevent the recurrence of such unlawful actions that threaten international peace and security.
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