UN mission finds grounds for US war crimes and Iran crimes against humanity

UN Mission Finds Evidence of War Crimes and Crimes Against Humanity

A UN fact-finding mission on Iran has found reasonable grounds to believe that the US committed war crimes in two airstrikes in Iran, including one on a school in the southern city of Minab, according to sources. The mission, which was established by the UN Human Rights Council, examined evidence regarding the airstrikes, which killed at least 178 civilians, including women and children. The mission also found that Iranian authorities committed crimes against humanity during their crackdown on anti-government protests. The experts said that killings by state security forces in Iran occurred on a "staggering scale" and that civilians faced "gross human rights violations and crimes against humanity committed by their own government." The report noted that detainees faced torture, were deprived of legal counsel, and that their families were left "in the dark" about their whereabouts.

US and Iranian Responses

The US State Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the report, according to NBC Miami. However, Central Command has repeatedly rejected accusations of war crimes by Iran and said that the US military never targets civilians. Iranian officials have consistently rejected allegations of systematic rights violations, according to Daily Kos. President Donald Trump said that his focus is not on American wallets, but on preventing Iran from getting a nuclear weapon. "I don’t think about Americans’ financial situation. … I think about one thing — we cannot let Iran have a nuclear weapon. That’s all," he said, as reported by NBC Miami.

Conflict in the Region

The conflict in the region has led to a significant increase in oil prices, with Brent crude reaching over $103 per barrel, according to CBS News. The war between the US and Iran has severely reduced the flow of oil out of the Persian Gulf, and an escalation in fighting between Saudi Arabia and the Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen has threatened another vital waterway. The Houthis have been reporting dozens of daily Saudi strikes since they seized control of strategic coastal areas overlooking the Bab al-Mandeb Strait from Saudi-backed government forces. The conflict in Yemen has forced more than 100,000 people to flee their homes, according to the United Nations.

Global Energy Security

The conflict in the region has raised concerns about global energy security. US Energy Secretary Chris Wright said that a damaged Saudi oil pipeline should be running again "relatively soon," which led to a drop in oil prices. The price for a gallon of regular gas currently costs $4.37, about 30 cents more than a month ago and well over the $3.19 a gallon from a year ago, according to AAA. The speaker of the House, Mike Johnson, blamed Democrats and former President Biden for the high prices, saying that they want to squeeze production of US oil and gas.

Next Steps

The UN report is not binding, but it adds to international evidence gathered about crimes in the war in Iran, and could eventually be used in efforts to reach justice in international courts. The experts said that the US and Iran should halt all rights violations and crimes, and provide "full reparations to victims." President Trump is set to meet with leaders from Persian Gulf States during the UN General Assembly in New York to discuss the war with Iran, Axios reported Thursday. The meeting is expected to focus on US plans for a post-war strategy, the outlet reported, despite there being no indication of any new deal emerging to end the conflict.