Following an early Friday attack on Iran suspected to be from Israel, the United Nations (UN) Human Rights Office is stressing the importance of all parties showing restraint.
In a statement made on Friday in Geneva, the spokesperson for the UN Human Rights Office, Jeremy Laurence, did not mention Israel or Iran by name but urged for de-escalation efforts from all sides.
Laurence emphasized the need for third-party countries, particularly those with influential roles, to use their power to prevent any further deterioration in the already fragile situation.
The UN agency has stated that it currently lacks additional details on the attack that took place.
While U.S. media reports indicate that Israel launched at least one missile on Iran, Iran has played down the incident, claiming that little damage was caused.
This recent strike comes in response to a significant assault by Tehran on Israel over the past weekend, involving a barrage of more than 300 drones, cruise missiles, and rockets.
The Iranian action was retaliatory in nature, triggered by an attack on an Iranian diplomatic compound in Damascus, the capital of Syria, on April 1.
Expressing deep concern, Laurence highlighted the potential human rights and humanitarian consequences that may arise if the current escalation escalates into a broader conflict in the Middle East.