Iranian strikes pose ‘existential threat’, Gulf states tell UN

Record ID: 2369930

  • Title: Iranian strikes pose ‘existential threat’, Gulf states tell UN
  • Date: 25th March 2026
  • Summary: LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES (FILE - AUGUST 15, 2024) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF LOS ANGELES SUPERIOR COURT EXTERIORS SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA (FILE - DECEMBER 8, 2025) (REUTERS) REFLECTION IN PERSON'S EYE OF ICONS OF SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS  VARIOUS OF PHONE APPLICATION FOLDER WITH ICONS OF SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA (FILE - NOVEMBER 22, 2025) (REUTERS) VARIOUS
  • Embargoed:
  • Keywords: Bahrain Geneva Gulf Human rights council Iran Israel Jordan Kuwait Lebanon Oman United Arab Emirates United Nations United States war
  • Location: GENEVA, SWITZERLAND / NEW YORK, NEW YORK, UNITED STATES
  • City: GENEVA, SWITZERLAND / NEW YORK, NEW YORK, UNITED STATES
  • Country: Iran
  • Topics: Conflicts/War/Peace,Middle East,Military Conflicts
  • Reuters ID: LVA007720625032026RP1
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text:Gulf Arab states told the U.N. Human Rights Council on Wednesday (March 25) they face an existential threat from Iran as they condemned Iranian attacks on their infrastructure, which the U.N. rights chief said might constitute war crimes.
    The nearly month-long U.S.-Israeli war on Iran has sparked large-scale Iranian retaliation in the form of drone and missile strikes on energy and civilian infrastructure in Gulf countries, killing civilians and driving up oil prices.
    "We are seeing an existential threat to international and regional security. This aggressive approach is undermining international law and sovereignty," Kuwait's ambassador Naser Abdullah H. M. Alhayen told the Geneva-based council.
    Other Gulf states also denounced Iran's actions which they said were designed to spread terror.
    Countries at the 47-member council will vote on a motion condemning Iran's strikes, asking Iran for reparation and asking the U.N. rights chief to monitor the situation.
    Iran defended its actions, saying more than 1,500 civilians had been killed in the U.S.-Israeli strikes so far.
    “Responsibility for these attacks lies not only with those who carried out those attacks, but also with those who facilitated, supported and encouraged them,” Iran's ambassador to the U.N. in Geneva Ali Bahreini said. 
    “It is a historic mistake,” he added. 
    Iran has called for its own emergency session on a fatal strike on a primary school which will take place on Friday (March 27).
    In a video message released at the beginning of the session, U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk urged states to end the Iran conflict, describing the situation as extremely dangerous and unpredictable.
    "This conflict has an unprecedented power to ensnare countries across borders and around the world," he said.
    (Production: Cecile Mantovani)
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