Like many organizations and people around the world, ICTJ is watching with grave concern the unfolding war launched by the United States and Israel against Iran on February 28, 2026, and its devastating ripple effects across the wider region. Now more than one month into a conflict that shows no real signs of abating, the human cost is staggering and growing. The war is one more catastrophe piling onto an already unbearable burden on communities in the region that have long endured repression, armed conflict, and the systematic denial of their rights.
The suffering is not confined to one side. Strikes have caused thousands of civilian casualties and displaced millions of people. Across the region, schools, medical facilities, residential buildings, and water and energy infrastructure have been destroyed or severely damaged. All parties bear responsibility for serious violations.
We are also deeply alarmed by the broader context in which this war erupted. Iranian civilians had barely emerged from a violent crackdown when the bombs began to fall. The deepening human rights crisis in Iran—already characterized by unparalleled institutionalized repression, including violations that may amount to crimes against humanity—is likely to worsen in the wake of the conflict. Patterns of repression that were used to silence dissent, shield perpetrators, and deny victims their rights to truth, justice, and reparations have not disappeared; they have been compounded. War does not pause repression; it enables it.
The civilians bear the heaviest cost of this war. In Iran, civilians face a double victimization: repression by their own government for years and now bombardment by U.S. and Israeli forces. In Lebanon, a population already hollowed out by successive cycles of conflict, economic collapse, and political failure is once again in the crossfire of a regional war it has no power to stop. And in Israel and other countries in the region, civilians exposed to indiscriminate missile and drone attacks are also victims—people whose safety and dignity matter and whose suffering equally demands accountability from those responsible. What unites all of them is not nationality or allegiance, but vulnerability. They are civilians caught in violence unleashed by those with power over their lives, but who have no regard for the obligations that power carries.
In light of this reality, it is more important than ever to reaffirm the international principles that govern our shared world. These principles, established to protect peace and human rights, are not optional. All parties to this conflict are bound to adhere to international humanitarian law and international human rights law and must respect the principles of distinction, proportionality, and precaution. The open disregard for international norms by all parties is a critical stress test for the international legal order created to protect civilians.
The erosion of these norms is not an abstract concern. It is measured in lives lost and communities destroyed. When established rules are cast aside, when calls for de-escalation are ignored, and when diplomatic efforts are bypassed, civilians pay the price.
Indiscriminate violence and the use of banned weapons must stop. Accountability for violations should follow. All actors who commit these violations—whether authoritarian leaders who have systematically repressed their populations, armed groups that launch unlawful strikes, or states that abandon obligations they have freely accepted—must be held accountable.
It is critical that evidence of violations is gathered and secured so that those responsible may be brought to justice through independent mechanisms established under international law. Impunity is not stability; it is rather the seed of future violence.
ICTJ stands unequivocally with all victims across the region. We denounce and demand accountability for all violations committed by all parties, regardless of who the perpetrator is. Justice is not a political concession. It is a prerequisite for durable peace, nationally and regionally.
The enormous human, financial, and material resources being consumed by this war must instead be directed toward what is most urgently needed: an immediate cessation of hostilities, good-faith negotiations, accountability for all violations, and justice for all victims. The ugly reality of war is not a blank check to violate human rights. Just and sustainable peace can only be built on a foundation of accountability, not on the rubble of impunity.
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PHOTO: A displaced Lebanese boy sits on the ground along Beirut’s waterfront on March 15, 2026. (Mohamad Salman)
