Summary

The UN Independent International Fact-Finding Mission on Iran Monday called on all parties to immediately cease hostilities and comply with international humanitarian law following reported US airstrikes that killed and injured civilians in southern Iran. The Mission said that two strikes in Hormozgan province raise serious questions about whether the United States took all necessary precautions to protect civilians during military operations. The Mission has not determined that either strike constituted a war crime, but said the reported civilian deaths require further investigation. On September 1, a reported US airstrike struck a home in Kuhestak during a wedding celebration. Iranian media reported that five people died, including two children and one woman, and that dozens of others suffered injuries. On July 30, another reported US strike destroyed a residential home in Qeshm, reportedly killing a man, a woman and their two-year-old son and injuring their two other children. Both attacks occurred in areas with historically marginalized minority populations, specifically in the Hormozgan province. The Mission identified Kuhestak as predominantly Baloch and Qeshm as predominantly Sunni. It has previously documented structural discrimination and marginalization affecting both of these communities. Mission expert Max du Plessis said, “repeated airstrikes causing civilian casualties raise serious questions about whether all necessary measures are being taken to comply with States’ obligations under international law, including to take all precautionary measures to avoid civilian deaths.” The Mission also warned that violations of these obligations can give rise to international responsibility and, depending on the circumstances, may constitute war crimes. They insist on calling for in-depth investigations into attacks that cause civilian casualties. The Mission’s concerns echo earlier reports of civilian casualties since the beginning of the US-Israeli attacks in February. In March, UN experts condemned a reported missile strike on a girls’ school in Iran that reportedly killed more than 160 children. By March 17, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reported that more than 1,200 people had been killed in the conflict. The Human Rights Council established the Mission in November 2022 after widespread protests began in Iran following the death of Jina Mahsa Amini. Its original mandate focused on investigating alleged human rights violations connected to the protests, particularly violations affecting women and children. The Council later extended the mandate and instructed the Mission to document, verify, consolidate and preserve evidence of violations for potential future legal proceedings. The Council extended the Mission’s mandate again in January 2026 for two years. Its work now covers recent and ongoing serious human rights violations in Iran. This expanded mandate means that the Mission can examine developments aside from the original 2022 protests, including allegations arising during the current conflict.