UN urges urgent de-escalation amid Iran-Israel conflict

The UN Human Rights Council meets in Geneva at three scheduled sessions every year.

As the Iran-Israel crisis entered its sixth day on Wednesday, UN Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights Nada Al-Nashif called for urgent dialogue to end the ongoing missile attacks between Tehran and Tel Aviv.

Israel began targeting nuclear and military sites across Iran last Friday, prompting a barrage of retaliatory strikes on Israeli cities.

“The UN Human Rights Office urges de-escalation and urgent diplomatic negotiations to end these attacks and find a way forward,” said Ms. Al-Nashif. “We are closely monitoring the situation and are aware of reports that many thousands of residents are fleeing parts of the capital, Tehran, due to broad-area warnings.”

Latest reports from the region indicate that more than 200 people have been killed in Iran and 24 in Israel to date. The violence has continued unabated overnight in both countries.

Addressing the Human Rights Council in Geneva at a scheduled session to discuss Iran’s rights record, the Deputy High Commissioner expressed serious concerns that densely populated areas had been hit during the escalation.

“It is imperative that both sides fully respect international law, particularly by ensuring the protection of civilians in populated areas and of civilian objects,” she said. “We urge all those with influence to engage in negotiations as a matter of priority.”
Nuclear Watchdog Update

In a related development, the UN-backed nuclear watchdog reported on Wednesday that two Iranian centrifuge production facilities had suffered major damage in recent strikes.

“The TESA Karaj workshop and the Tehran Research Centre were hit,” the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said. “At the Tehran site, one building where advanced centrifuge rotors were manufactured and tested was damaged. At Karaj, two buildings used for manufacturing centrifuge components were destroyed.”
Iranian Response

Speaking after the Deputy High Commissioner, Iran’s Permanent Representative, Ambassador Ali Bahreini, condemned the Israeli strikes:

“There has been no violation worse than the 13 June act of aggression against Iran,” he said, citing “continuous blind attacks on residential areas, bombardment of vital supplies, destruction of drinking water resources, and reckless strikes on nuclear facilities, all of which are directly impacting civilians.”

Such “deliberate targeting” of nuclear facilities, he warned, risked exposing local communities to “a possible hazardous leak.” He added, “This is not just an act of war against our country—it is a war against humanity.”

In a brief statement to the Council—from which Israel withdrew earlier this year—Bahreini called for accountability and global condemnation of Israel’s actions.

“This impunity must end,” he declared. “Israel’s activities are not just against one or two countries. They target all humanity and all human rights.”