The American organisation Democracy for the Arab World Now (DAWN) has called on Iran to file a declaration granting the International Criminal Court (ICC) jurisdiction over crimes committed on its territory since the war began on 28th February 2026. Other impacted states in the region should also file similar declarations to maintain a pathway to justice.
As of 5th March 2026, the US-Israeli war of aggression has reportedly killed over 1,230 Iranian civilians and struck hospitals and schools across the country, while Iranian retaliatory attacks have also reportedly killed and injured civilians and damaged civilian infrastructure across the region. All states should also engage with UN fact-finding and human rights mechanisms and secure, preserve and protect evidence of possible war crimes.
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“From the killing of over 150 students and teachers to strikes on hospitals full of newborns, every day more and more evidence emerges pointing to the commission of grave war crimes in Iran since the start of the war,” said Omar Shakir, DAWN’s Executive Director. “Victims deserve justice. The mechanisms exist and the US has no veto over them.”
The strike on the Minab school alone, in which the vast majority of victims were schoolgirls aged seven to twelve, demands a complete evidentiary record. Iran should ensure this material is collected, preserved, and shared with the UN Fact-Finding Mission and any future investigative mechanisms without delay.
“Iran has been loudly calling out these crimes, but their words ring hollow when officials fail to take action to preserve a pathway to justice,” said Shakir. “The Iranian government should preserve the evidence, utilise every available mechanism to investigate possible war crimes, and pursue accountability through the International Criminal Court.”
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