Statement  By   H.E. Mr. Nasser Seraj  The Secretary General of the High Council for Human Rights of the Islamic Republic of Iran  Before IRAN’s Side Event Human Rights Dimensions of Twelve Days of Aggression Against the Islamic Republic of Iran by Israeli Regime and The United States  Geneva, 12 September 2025 ***** In the Name of God  Distinguished audience, I am Judge Nasser Seraj, Secretary General of the High Council for Human Rights of the Islamic Republic of Iran. My motivation for attending this meeting, the esteemed audience, is my serious and growing concerns about the gross violation of the rights of the people of my country in various forms by some Western countries. Unfortunately, a territorial aggression in the most blatant form was committed against my country not long ago. While the Islamic Republic of Iran was conducting nuclear negotiations in full good faith, on the dawn of June 13, 2025, it became the target of a blatant aggression by the Zionist occupying regime. Regrettably, the United States government, as a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council, not only refused to fulfill its responsibilities for maintaining international peace and security, but also in full cooperation and support for the Zionist aggressor regime attacked four peaceful nuclear facilities in Iran that were under the supervision of the International Atomic Energy Agency safeguards. These illegal actions, which are in violation of the International Law, took place against my country while the United States unilaterally withdrew from the JCPOA agreement in May 2018 and illegally and arbitrarily imposed the most extensive system of unilateral coercive measures with the illegal aim of “regime change in Iran”; sanctions that directly targeted the lives of ordinary people as well as public order and security, and have had irreparable effects. You all know very well what gruesome crimes are happening in Gaza today, tens of thousands of people, including women and children, have been killed and the population has been deliberately subjected to annihilation. The recent attack on Qatar is another evidence to the brutal expansionist nature of this regime. Unfortunately, the security and right to life of the people have become the subject of the illegal expansionist policies of the Zionist regime in our region. Distinguished audience, The people of my country expected immediate and urgent action from the institutions in charge of international peace and security, including the Security Council, in response to the blatant aggression of the Zionist apartheid regime and the United States, to stop “clear violations of international law.” However, due to political maneuvering, people of my country were once again confronted with unacceptable inaction and silence from this body. The result of such performance is the people’s increasing despair over the realization of peace and justice and the spread of insecurity, war, and deprivation. Ladies and Gentlemen, The start of the Zionist regime’s imposed war against Iran coincided with the start of the 59th session of the Human Rights Council. This was our serious expectation that these attacks would specifically be condemned by the Human Rights Council and human rights institutions. We expected serious action to be taken by the members of the Human Rights Council against the wrongful acts and crimes of the Zionist regime and the United States, and we still continue to expect this. Today, some of the victims’ family members are here to tell you about these crimes themselves. In this imposed 12-day war, unfortunately, we witnessed systematic violations of international human rights and humanitarian law on a large scale. The Zionist regime has systematically committed violations of peremptory (jus cogens) norms of international law, including the prohibition of arbitrary deprivation of life. In targeted attacks, about 1,100 of our compatriots, including 102 women, two of whom were pregnant, 45 children and adolescents, the youngest of whom was only 2 months old, and 14 academic and scientific elites, have been martyred. More than 5,600 civilians have been injured and irreparable psychological damages have been inflicted on the people of the country. The world witnessed that this regime showed no qualms about even targeting Evin Prison, which resulted in the martyrdom of at least 80 civilians; Tehran’s Quds Square, where 17 citizens, including a three-year-old child and a pregnant woman, were martyred; and the chase and killing of a family in two different parts of the country. These cases are concrete examples of war crimes and crimes against humanity. 14 members of a family were martyred in a targeted killing. The critical civilian infrastructure, residential areas, hospitals, health care centers, schools, kindergartens, relief forces, water and electricity systems, public places, transportation routes, industrial facilities, commercial centers and other civilian infrastructure were targeted on a large scale, contrary to the general rules of international humanitarian law. These actions are not only war crimes but also flagrant crimes against humanity. According to official statistics, nearly 10,000 residential units, 210 commercial and industrial centers, 17 energy infrastructure, 16 educational and research centers, and 11 public thoroughfares have been destroyed or severely damaged. An attack on peaceful nuclear facilities is not only a violation of Security Council resolutions (Resolution 533) and the United Nations Charter, but could also pose a catastrophic threat to the health of the people and the environment of the region, which, unfortunately, was of no concern to the aggressors. We believe that these aggressions and crimes should serve as a serious warning to the international community. If we remain silent in the face of such abusive actions, we have in fact paved the way for greater insecurity; an insecurity that could endanger the entire international community. We note and appreciate the actions of the Special Rapporteurs who have clearly condemned the aggressive actions committed by the Zionist regime and the United States and supported the rights of the Iranian people. We urge them not to settle for mere condemnation alone and to use all the capacities they have under their agenda to hold the criminal regime of Israel and the United States of America accountable for the gross violation of the fundamental rights of the Iranian people. This is a serious demand and is rightfully owed to the victims and their family members. We call on civil society, as a powerful and independent observer, to pay more attention to the crimes of the Zionist regime and the United States than ever before and to push international human rights institutions towards their main goals. In conclusion, while sincerely thanking you, the distinguished audience, for your attention, I respectfully urge the conscientious and justice-minded individuals to convey the voices of my country’s people, particularly the victims and their families, to the attention of the international community. Thank you ----