UN probe finds Iran committed crimes against humanity in crackdown, cites US and Israel for strikes

The UN Independent International Fact-Finding Mission on Iran concluded that the Islamic Republic committed crimes against humanity during its January 2026 crackdown on protests, marking a sharp escalation in lethal force and mass arrests. The report also condemned US and Israeli strikes against the regime. The mission documented at least three-and-a-half times more injuries and five-and-a-half times more deaths than the 2022 Woman, Life, Freedom crackdown, with security forces using shotguns, tear gas, and automatic fire on crowds, including children.

The UN Independent International Fact-Finding Mission on Iran published a report Monday concluding that the Islamic Republic committed crimes against humanity during its violent crackdown on widespread protests in January 2026. The report also condemned the United States and Israel for attacks against the regime. The mission found that the suppression represented a marked escalation in the use of lethal force and mass arrests, with at least three-and-a-half times as many injuries and five-and-a-half times as many deaths as the 2022 Woman, Life, Freedom crackdown. Security forces routinely fired tear gas and shotguns loaded with metal pellets at protesters who did not present an imminent threat, and in some cases used automatic gunfire. The mission verified videos showing individuals firing assault rifles at fleeing crowds from police station roofs in Tehran and Karaj. Children as young as five were wounded, and at least 221 children were killed, including two two-year-olds. The internet shutdown during the crackdown left civilians unable to communicate or seek emergency assistance, and security forces monitored hospitals to arrest wounded protesters and medical staff. Iran acknowledged only 3,038 deaths and 25,000 wounded, attributing most casualties to "terrorists," but the mission concluded the true toll was significantly higher. The report also noted that at least three individuals were sentenced to death despite being minors at the time of the alleged offense.