Iran Opens Criminal Cases Against US and Israeli Officials Over Alleged War Crimes

Iran’s Judiciary has announced the launch of criminal and civil legal proceedings against US and Israeli officials over what it describes as acts of aggression and violations of international law. Judiciary spokesperson Asghar Jahangir said during a press conference that international law requires aggressor states and those responsible for initiating war to be prosecuted, tried and held accountable for compensating the targeted country for damages.

Jahangir said that following the US and Israeli attacks on Iran on February 28 and the subsequent 12-day conflict, prosecutors across the country documented damage to civilian infrastructure and public property. He stated that the International Affairs Prosecutor’s Office has opened criminal cases against American and Israeli officials, with indictments already issued against a number of suspects alongside more than 3,000 registered civil petitions. He added that Iran’s Human Rights Headquarters has classified the documented incidents under the Rome Statute as alleged war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide, including reported attacks on civilians, hospitals, schools, nuclear facilities and critical infrastructure.

According to the judiciary, Branch 55 of the Tehran Civil Court has registered 260 civil lawsuits representing more than 300,000 individuals and legal entities. Jahangir said the International Affairs Prosecutor’s Office is also handling 21 criminal cases related to the 12-day conflict, including 137 cases filed on behalf of 800 Iranian citizens and 65 cases submitted by government ministries and public institutions, while an additional 90 cases concerning the February 28 attacks remain under judicial review.