During a discussion on Politico, UN Secretary-General António Guterres raised alarms regarding the possibility of war crimes being committed in Iran by various parties involved in the conflict, specifically pointing fingers at the United States, Israel, and Iran itself. He emphasized that significant attacks on Iran's energy infrastructure, as well as retaliatory strikes from Iran on neighboring countries, contribute to the troubling situation. Furthermore, the overall increase in civilian casualties in the conflict raises additional concerns about the legality of the combatants' actions.

Guterres specifically highlighted a recent Israeli attack on the world’s largest gas field in South Pars, which is jointly used by Iran and Qatar, prompting Iran to retaliate with strikes on industrial areas in Qatar. The attacks led to substantial damage as reported by Qatar's state oil and gas company. Guterres indicated a critical position on the nature of these military actions, insisting that there is no distinction between the attacking parties when civilians bear the brunt of the conflict. He firmly stated that no justification exists for targeting civilians directly in warfare.

The UN Secretary-General underscored that the resolution of the conflict relies heavily on U.S. intervention, particularly in light of Israel's objectives to dismantle Iran's military and government structures. Guterres's comments suggest a pressing need for accountability and caution in military operations involving civilian populations, reinforcing the international community's obligation to protect non-combatants and adhere to humanitarian laws amidst the escalating tensions in the region.