UN High Commissioner Volker Türk: Is the Iran conflict threatening to shatter the world order?

Since the massive U.S.-Israeli airstrikes against Iran in late February 2026 and the subsequent Iranian retaliatory strikes on the Gulf states and Jordan, the world has been in a state of shock. What began as a military escalation has escalated into an “uncontrollable catastrophe” within a matter of weeks, Türk said in his recent speech before the UN Human Rights Council.

Civilian Infrastructure in the Crosshairs

The figures presented by the UN High Commissioner are shocking. In Iran alone, according to the Red Crescent, over 67,000 civilian targets have been struck, including nearly 500 schools and over 200 health facilities. “Bombs and missiles are not the way to resolve differences,” Türk warned. Particularly alarming, he noted, is the shift in attacks toward densely populated areas and vital energy facilities such as South Pars in Iran or Ras Laffan in Qatar.

But the suffering is transnational. In Lebanon, over 1,000 people have been killed by Israeli strikes in just three weeks, with more than a million displaced. In the Gulf states, Iranian drones and missiles have struck airports, hotels, and ports in Bahrain, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE. Israel is under sustained fire from Hezbollah and Iran, leading to evacuations and civilian casualties.

According to the UNHCR, the spread of fighting to Lebanon and Syria threatens to trigger a new wave of refugees, already exceeding the capacities of neighboring countries such as Jordan.

The “Nuclear Game of Fire”

One detail of the escalation has diplomats worldwide holding their breath: missile strikes near nuclear facilities in both Iran and Israel. Türk explicitly warned that the states are “courting total catastrophe” here. A direct hit on such a facility would have ecological and humanitarian consequences that would be felt for generations to come.

Economic Shock: Hunger as a Weapon of War?

The crisis has long since reached supermarkets and gas stations around the world. The blockade of the Strait of Hormuz has severed one of the most vital arteries of global trade. “This conflict has an unprecedented power to entangle countries across borders,” warns Türk.

The UN Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA) estimates the economic losses in the Arab region to date at around 63 billion U.S. dollars. The Strait of Hormuz accounts for approximately 20–30% of global oil consumption. A prolonged blockade could drive the price of oil above 150 USD per barrel.

Low-income countries in South Asia are being hit particularly hard. UNCTAD reports a sharp rise in shipping insurance premiums, while the World Food Programme (WFP) warns that an additional 45 million people could slip into acute hunger if fertilizer and grain shipments continue to be disrupted. Countries such as the Philippines have already declared a national energy emergency.

Repression in the Shadow of War

While Iran is fighting on the front lines, the leadership in Tehran is intensifying pressure on its own population at home. For over three weeks, there has been an almost total internet shutdown. Reports of mass arrests and executions—some linked to the January 2026 protests—are only trickling out. Türk emphasized that the war is not a “license” to violate human rights.

The chronology of horror

The current escalation marks the low point of a long series of provocations. According to the White House, the trigger for the U.S.-Israeli strikes was the preventive destruction of Iranian drone production facilities, which, however, led to an uncontrolled spiral of attack and retaliation.

The international community now faces a crucial test. While some major powers are weakening the multilateral system, Türk calls on the “vast majority” of states to stand up for the UN Charter. “We cannot allow war to once again become the standard tool of international relations.”

OHCHR