The United Nations Human Rights Council held a rare urgent debate on Wednesday over Iran’s missile and drone strikes on Gulf states and Jordan, with Gulf nations calling for Iran to immediately halt its attacks and provide full reparations to victims.
The session, requested by Bahrain on behalf of the six Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries — Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates — along with Jordan, focused on Iranian strikes that began on February 28, 2026, in retaliation for US and Israeli attacks on Iranian territory.
A draft resolution presented during the debate “condemns in the strongest terms the egregious attacks” by Iran.
It criticises Tehran’s attempts to disrupt the strategic Strait of Hormuz, expresses “grave concerns” over strikes on energy infrastructure, and demands that Iran “immediately and unconditionally cease all unprovoked attacks” against the GCC states and Jordan.
It further calls on Iran to “provide full, effective and prompt reparation” for all damage and injury caused to civilians and infrastructure.
Bahrain told the council it had endured 26 days of “unprovoked, unjustified aggression.” Kuwait described strikes on civilian sites, including its international airport, as “a form of terror” against civilians. Oman reiterated its commitment to dialogue and diplomacy.
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk, in a video statement, warned that continued strikes near nuclear sites and civilian areas were “flirting with unmitigated catastrophe.”
He urged all parties with influence to work toward ending the conflict.
Iran’s envoy rejected the accusations as one-sided and politicised. Tehran argued that its actions were a legitimate response to the initial US and Israeli offensive, and accused Israel of dragging the region toward chaos.
The debate adds to earlier international pressure on Iran. On March 11, the UN Security Council adopted Resolution 2817, which condemned Iran’s “egregious attacks” in the strongest terms, determined they constituted a breach of international law and a threat to peace and security, and demanded an immediate cessation of all attacks.
That resolution passed with 13 votes in favour and two abstentions (China and Russia).
The Human Rights Council is expected to vote on the draft resolution in the coming hours or days. A separate urgent debate, requested by Iran and allies, on the deadly strike on a school in Minab, southern Iran, is scheduled for Friday.
