UN Rights Chief Urges De-escalation of Israel, Iran War

2025-06-16 05:05:44

(MENAFN) UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk voiced serious unease on Monday regarding the growing military confrontation between Israel and Iran, urging immediate restraint and a shift back to diplomatic efforts.

"The military escalation between Israel and Iran is deeply worrying," Turk stated during the delivery of his yearly report to the 59th session of the Human Rights Council held in Geneva.

He appealed to all involved actors to pursue "urgent diplomatic negotiations to end these attacks and find a way forward," stressing the urgency of halting further violence through dialogue.

Turk underlined the critical importance of adherence to global legal standards, particularly concerning the safeguarding of civilian populations impacted by the hostilities.

"I call for full respect of international law by both sides, in particular the protection of civilians in densely populated areas," he added.

His statements follow the most recent surge in violence, which was triggered by Israeli airstrikes targeting Iranian nuclear and missile infrastructure on Friday.

In retaliation, Iran launched ballistic missiles that led to Israeli fatalities and significant damage to infrastructure.

MENAFN16062025000045017167ID1109678904

Legal Disclaimer:
MENAFN provides the information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.