Tehran-IRAF- the Human Rights Headquarters issued a statement condemning the recent aggressions by the United States and the Zionist regime against Iran, including extensive and intentional attacks on critical fuel storage and transfer infrastructure in Shahran, Shahr-e Rey, and Fardis in Karaj.
The full text of the statement is as follows:
The Human Rights Headquarters of the Islamic Republic of Iran, in the strongest possible terms, condemns the recent aggressions by the United States and the Zionist regime against Iran, as well as the widespread and deliberate attacks on vital fuel storage and transmission infrastructure in the areas of Shahran, Shahr-e-Rey, and Fardis in Karaj. These crimes have resulted in extensive environmental and humanitarian consequences, which, unfortunately, have been exacerbated by specific weather conditions and rainfall. As a result, the right to life and health of citizens—particularly vulnerable groups including women, children, the elderly, and persons with disabilities—has been placed at serious risk.
These intentional crimes, carried out with the aim of harming civilians and non‑combatant populations, constitute extensive violations of international law, human rights norms and obligations, and international humanitarian law.
These attacks have led to the widespread release of hazardous pollutants, severe environmental contamination, and a direct threat to the health of millions of citizens, effectively exposing the urban environment to severe and potentially long‑term damage.
Such actions represent a clear violation of the fundamental human right to a healthy environment—a right that is now recognized within the international legal system as one of the basic human rights and a key component of third‑generation (solidarity) rights.
It is evident that attacks on civilian infrastructure, particularly energy resources that supply essential societal needs such as electricity, heating, and transportation, can result in widespread disruption of civilian life, deprivation of basic services, and ultimately the violation of fundamental human rights. International conventions, including the Geneva Conventions (1949), explicitly prohibit attacks on civilian targets and emphasize the necessity of protecting civilian populations during armed conflicts.
Aggressions of this nature, aimed at inflicting maximum damage on the economic and livelihood capacities of a nation, constitute a clear example of violations of human rights and international humanitarian law and entail serious and comprehensive international responsibility for their perpetrators.
From the perspective of international law, these crimes are in clear contradiction with several fundamental principles and rules, including:
First, under the Convention on the Prohibition of Military or Any Other Hostile Use of Environmental Modification Techniques (ENMOD), adopted in 1976, the use of natural conditions or elements in a manner that causes widespread, long‑lasting, or severe harm to humans and the environment is prohibited. The deliberate exploitation of weather conditions to intensify pollution effects and the spread of toxic substances stands in serious contradiction to the spirit and objectives of this convention.
Second, pursuant to Articles 35 and 55 of Additional Protocol I to the four Geneva Conventions, the use of methods and means of warfare that cause widespread, severe, and long‑term damage to the natural environment is prohibited. Attacks on fuel facilities located near densely populated residential areas, creating extensive and severe risks to the environment and public health, may constitute violations of these fundamental obligations.
Third, the consequences of these attacks—including threats to public health, air pollution, and damage to the urban environment—are incompatible with states’ obligations regarding the right to life and the right to health, as emphasized in key instruments such as the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.
In recent years, as the international community has increasingly emphasized the concept of “protection of the environment during armed conflicts” and the international responsibility of states for extensive environmental destruction, the Human Rights Headquarters of the Islamic Republic of Iran stresses that attacks of this nature, whose consequences directly affect the health and lives of civilians, raise serious concerns regarding the international responsibility of their perpetrators.
Accordingly, the Human Rights Headquarters of the Islamic Republic of Iran declares that:
- The legal and humanitarian dimensions of this incident will be pursued in competent international forums;
- Documentation of the human and environmental destructive effects of these attacks is underway for submission to international legal mechanisms;
- The international community, human rights organizations, and specialized environmental bodies must adopt a clear and responsible stance against such dangerous actions.
The Human Rights Headquarters further emphasizes that the protection of the environment and the health of civilians during armed conflicts is a shared and non‑negotiable obligation under contemporary international law, and any action contrary to these principles threatens not only the environmental security of a single country but also human health and security at regional and global levels.
In conclusion, while expressing sincere sympathy with the citizens who have suffered material losses and environmental damage as a result of these attacks, the Human Rights Headquarters of the Islamic Republic of Iran underscores the necessity of accountability and international responsibility for serious violations of human rights and environmental protections.
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