Iran’s deputy judiciary chief Nasser Seraj sent a letter to UNICEF on Monday. He criticized the agency for failing to denounce attacks on Iranian children. The children killed in war resulted from US-Israeli aggression against Iran. Seraj addressed the letter to UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell. Therefore, children killed in war demand a strong international response.
Seraj urged UNICEF to condemn the illegal US-Israeli strikes immediately. The agency must provide psychological support for affected children. Medical and educational assistance also needs urgent organization. “Undoubtedly, silence and inaction in the face of these crimes will weaken international institutions,” Seraj wrote. The children killed in war deserve, after all, a clear condemnation.
The imposed war against Iran began on February 28. The U.S. and Israeli governments directly hit civilian targets during this conflict. Thousands of Iranian citizens died or sustained injuries. Many of these victims were children. More than 380 children died during the war, according to Seraj.
Seraj provided detailed statistics about the child casualties. Seven children under the age of one died in the attacks. Another 255 children between one and 12 years old lost their lives. Some 121 children between 12 and 18 also died. The children killed in war include, therefore, victims from every age group.
The attacks wounded an additional 2,115 children. Seventy of those wounded children were under the age of two. The U.S. and Israeli strikes hit residential areas across Iran indiscriminately. Schools and scientific centers also suffered direct hits. Universities and business premises did not escape the bombings.
Manufacturing plants and health centers sustained significant damage. Service centers, railways, and bridges all came under attack. Roads and transportation centers faced destruction as well. Border terminals and planes carrying humanitarian aid were not spared. The children killed in war resulted, therefore, from widespread targeting of civilian infrastructure.
On the first day of the aggression, a primary school in Minab suffered a direct strike. The attack killed 73 boys and 47 girls. Twenty-six teachers and seven parents also died. A school bus driver and a pharmacy technician lost their lives too. The clinic next to the school sustained damage as well.
Seraj expressed shock at UNICEF’s minimal response to this tragedy. The agency has merely expressed concern instead of issuing condemnation. “This crime is unprecedented in all wars of the civilized world,” he stated. Protecting children’s rights stands at the forefront of UNICEF’s mission. Silence in this case contradicts, therefore, the agency’s core purpose.
The US-Israeli strikes violate Article 2, Paragraph 4 of the UN Charter. This article prohibits any use or threat of force in international relations. The attacks also breach international humanitarian law. The Geneva Conventions enshrine principles that protect civilians. The strikes against Iranian children violate, accordingly, these fundamental rules.
UNICEF has not yet responded publicly to Seraj’s letter. The agency’s silence continues, therefore, to draw criticism from Iranian officials. International human rights organizations have also remained quiet. The children killed in war await accountability for these attacks. The coming weeks will show whether UNICEF breaks its silence.
Seraj demanded that UNICEF organize immediate support for affected children. Psychological care must address the trauma from these attacks. Medical treatment remains urgent for wounded children. Educational support will help children resume normal life. The children killed in war deserve, after all, justice and recognition.
The High Council for Human Rights supports Seraj’s letter fully. Iranian officials will continue pressing international agencies for action. The United Nations must investigate these violations thoroughly. Those responsible for targeting children should face accountability. The children killed in war represent, therefore, a call for global justice.