The 62nd Session of the Human Rights Council
15 June - 7 July 2026
Item 2: Oral Statement on the Attacks by the Islamic Republic of Iran
15 June 2026
Iran’s Attack on the Middle East: an alarming human rights issue critically disregarded by the International Community
By Jennah Kalaaji / GICJ
Executive Summary
On June 15th, the 62nd session of the Human Rights Council (HRC) commenced at the Palais des Nations in Geneva, Switzerland. The first meeting was on Iran’s attack on the Middle East. The United Nations Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights, Ms. Awa Dabo, provided an oral update on the attacks executed by Iran and their legality in the context of human rights. Following this oral update, representatives from affected nations were given the floor to respond to the oral update on behalf of their countries. The main issues brought up by representatives of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and Jordan included: the widespread impact of the attacks by Iran, violations of international humanitarian law, international human rights law and the UN Charter as well as the continuation of negotiations between Iran and conflicting States to ensure regional peace and stability. The core themes brought up by the representative of Iran included inadequate scrutiny of the origins of the conflict as well as the validity of their attacks under the international law governing self-defence. Overall, this session touched on the main issues brought up by the affected states as well as the HRC’s update on the next steps towards peace. The practical application of this oral update is yet to be determined.
Geneva International Centre for Justice (GICJ) condemns Iran’s ongoing attacks and urges all parties to fully implement the ceasefire agreement with the United States and Israel. It criticizes Iran for failing to cooperate with international human rights mechanisms and calls for accountability for attacks on uninvolved neighboring states and the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz. GICJ also supports affected Gulf countries in rebuilding civilian infrastructure and protecting their populations. Finally, it urges the Human Rights Council to investigate the origins of the conflict and hold all parties accountable for civilian casualties and destruction.
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