The United Nations Human Rights Council has condemned Iran’s missile and drone attacks on several Gulf states, calling on Tehran to provide full and prompt compensation for damage, injuries, and loss of life resulting from the strikes.
The 47-member council adopted a resolution by consensus on March 25, following an urgent debate requested by the six Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates, along with Jordan.
A resolution condemned Iran’s actions as serious violations of international law and sovereignty, calling for an immediate stop to what it called unprovoked attacks on neighboring countries.
Resolution Demands Reparations
According to Al Jazeera, the council called on Iran to deliver “full, adequate, effective and prompt reparation” to all victims affected by the attacks, including civilians and those impacted by damage to infrastructure.
The resolution said the attacks hit civilian areas and key sites, including energy facilities, and raised alarm about the risk to shipping and energy supplies, particularly if traffic through the Strait of Hormuz is disrupted.
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It also requested the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights to prepare a report on the human rights impact of the attacks, to be presented at the council’s next session in June.
Diplomats representing the Gulf states told council members that the attacks caused loss of life and widespread damage and were conducted despite repeated warnings against regional escalation.
Speaking during the debate, Kuwait’s ambassador to the United Nations in Geneva, Naser Abdullah H. M. Alhayen, accused Iran of undermining international law and state sovereignty.
He said the attacks were intended to intimidate and terrorise civilian populations and posed a direct threat to both regional stability and international security. Other GCC representatives echoed those concerns, arguing that their countries were not parties to the wider conflict involving Iran, making the strikes unlawful.
Jordan, which joined the request for the urgent session, also condemned the attacks and voiced support for the council’s call for accountability.
Energy Infrastructure and Regional Stability
The resolution warned that attacks on oil and gas facilities could have serious consequences beyond the region, noting that the Gulf plays a crucial role in supplying energy to the world economy.
Council members warned that continued attacks could increase the risk of wider confrontation and called on all parties to respect international humanitarian law and protect civilian populations.
Several delegations stressed the need for restraint and urged diplomatic efforts to prevent further violence, while insisting that accountability for past actions remained essential.
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The decision follows action earlier this month at the UN Security Council, which adopted Resolution 2817 condemning Iran’s attacks on the Gulf states and demanding an immediate halt to hostilities.
Both resolutions form part of a broader international response to rising tensions linked to the confrontation between Iran on one side and the United States and Israel on the other.
The Gulf states have repeatedly stated that they are not involved in the conflict and have called for respect for neutrality.
UN Rights Decision Prompts Debate Over Scope of Accountability in the Conflict
Critics say the UN is applying double standards, asking why the rights council is pressing Iran to pay reparations while, in their view, not holding the United States and Israel accountable for military actions in Iran, Lebanon, and Gaza.
Some commentators argue that those campaigns caused widespread civilian casualties and damage to schools, hospitals, and public infrastructure, and say the states they blame for initiating what they describe as an illegal war, as well as countries that hosted foreign military bases used in the strikes, should also face accountability.
Others have dismissed the council’s move as politically selective, saying Iran’s actions constituted self‑defence and that Gulf states were drawn into the conflict through the presence of US forces, rather than as direct participants.
Iran Seeks Reparations for Damage from US and Israeli Military Campaign
Iran has also called for reparations from the United States and Israel, arguing that it suffered extensive damage from what it describes as an unlawful military campaign launched against its territory.
Iran says US and Israeli air strikes hit civilian areas, public infrastructure, and nuclear‑related facilities, causing loss of life and widespread destruction.
According to Tehran, the strikes violated international law and the UN Charter, arguing that compensation is needed not only to repair the damage but also to hold those responsible to account and prevent similar attacks in the future.
