Iranian Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei called on the country’s judiciary to take legal action against the US and Israel, demanding that lawsuits be filed in Iranian and international courts over what he described as violations committed against Iranians during the 12-day war in 2025, as well as the recent war.
In a message issued on the occasion of Judiciary Week on Sunday, Khamenei called to work towards restoring the rights of Iranian citizens, accusing Washington and Tel Aviv of committing “criminal” acts that warrant the prosecution and accountability of those responsible.
He saw the public statements made by US and Israeli officials regarding the execution of these attacks to be an admission that can be legally relied upon to file lawsuits and demand the rights of the victims.
Khamenei emphasized the necessity of using all available legal means, both within Iran and through international judicial institutions, to prosecute those involved in these attacks and impose legal penalties upon them.
Investigations required
He noted that the damage inflicted on Iranians, both inside and outside the country in addition to the targeting of medical and service facilities, constitutes a legal basis for filing lawsuits.
Khamenei also cited the killing of children and civilians in several areas as incidents that warrant investigation.
He further demanded that the assassination of his father, former Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, be included among the cases that should be pursued, asserting that the sum of incidents related to the two wars could constitute hundreds, even thousands, of lawsuits.
These statements came a week after direct negotiations between Iran and the US, mediated by Qatar and Pakistan, which culminated in the signing of a memorandum of understanding to end the war, along with granting both sides a 60-day negotiating period to reach a final agreement.
Khamenei called for expanding the scope of the ongoing investigations into what Tehran refers to as the “Second Imposed War”—a reference to the June 2025 war—to include the recent conflict that erupted between late February and early April of this year, with legal proceedings continuing until final verdicts are issued.
Deterring future attacks
He also referred to orders issued by the previous Supreme Leader during a meeting with judicial officials in July, which included the necessity of pursuing what Iran views to be crimes attributed to the US and Israel during the 2025 war.
Khamenei added that pursuing these cases until the sentences are carried out could deter any similar attacks in the future.
The message did not include details regarding the legal mechanisms Iran intends to use or the names of the international judicial bodies it might appeal to.
There has been no official comment yet from the US or Israel.
Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm
