GENEVA — The top human rights official at the United Nations is sounding the alarm over the renewed conflict between the United States and Iran, calling it a major blow to civilian populations in the region and warning of serious consequences for the global flow of essential goods.
U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk issued a statement Tuesday saying the fighting “undermines peace efforts and deepens instability, with grave risks for human rights across the entire region.”
“The return to wider hostilities in the Middle East between the US and Iran is a huge setback for civilians in the region and beyond,” Turk added, calling on all parties to exercise restraint.
The latest round of overnight strikes saw the United States carrying out five hours of attacks on Iranian targets in a battle over control of the Strait of Hormuz — a critical shipping passage that Iran has claimed to have closed. This marked the third consecutive night of American military strikes against Iran.
On Tuesday, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps announced that it had launched ballistic missiles at a U.S. air base in Jordan. The escalating violence has cast serious doubt on whether a memorandum of understanding signed between the two nations last month will result in a lasting ceasefire.
Turk expressed particular concern about what the potential closure of the Strait of Hormuz could mean for people around the world.
“It is a vital lifeline on which millions are reliant. Disruptions to the flow of food, medicines, and other necessary commodities have severe socio-economic and humanitarian consequences, both regionally and globally,” he said.
