UN experts condemn renewed US-Iran hostilities, urge return to negotiations

UN experts on Thursday condemned the resumption of hostilities between the US and Iran, warning that renewed fighting jeopardizes civilians, regional stability and efforts to end the conflict only weeks after a 14-point Memorandum of Understanding was signed.

In a statement, the experts said abandoning commitments under the agreement "damages prospects for peace, harms the human rights of victims of war, and undermines the mutual trust in agreements that is necessary to permanently end conflict."

They said overnight military strikes and counter-strikes between July 12 and 13 marked a major escalation, with reported impacts across several countries in the region. They also voiced concern over attacks on commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz, saying the disruption of navigation and commercial transit endangered civilian seafarers and affected global trade.

"Civilians across the region must not pay the price of this conflict," the experts said, urging all parties to comply with international human rights and humanitarian law, including the principles of distinction, proportionality and precaution.

The experts cited reports of strikes on ports, transport links, power infrastructure and a desalination plant in Iran, as well as projectiles landing near the Bushehr nuclear power plant. According to Iran's Health Ministry, 50 people have been killed and more than 500 injured.

"The protection of civilian lives and civilian infrastructure in Iran, the region and beyond must be an immediate priority. The disruption of vital maritime trade, which has harmed livelihoods worldwide, must end," they said.

They urged all parties to de-escalate the conflict and return to negotiations.