WILPF Calls for Immediate Ceasefire and Compliance with International Law 

In just 48 hours, the region has plunged into a dangerous new phase of hostilities. Civilian lives have been devastated. Regional stability has been further eroded. And the international rule of law faces yet another grave test. We invite you to read WILPF’s full statement and stand with us in demanding an immediate ceasefire and accountability under international law.

What Happened?

A large-scale military campaign targeted Iranian leadership and infrastructure, including the assassination of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, alongside other officials and hundreds of civilians. An airstrike on a girls’ school in Minab alone reportedly killed more than 100 children and teachers.

In response, the Iranian government launched missile and drone attacks, expanding the conflict beyond Iran’s borders and increasing casualties on all sides. This escalation follows years of mounting tensions, sanctions, threats, and previous unlawful strikes. The current crisis is not an isolated event—it is part of a broader pattern of militarism and impunity.

Why This Matters

International law is clear: unilateral military offensives of this scale amount to acts of aggression. Targeting a Head of State and launching large-scale attacks outside the framework of the UN Charter undermines global norms and fuels wider instability.

WILPF warns that:

• Militarism does not create security—it deepens insecurity.
• So-called “preemptive” strikes and regime-change agendas violate international law and erode global accountability.
• Retaliatory escalation entrenches authoritarianism, shrinks civic space, and harms women human rights defenders and peacebuilders.
• War cannot deliver liberation for women or any people—especially when driven by militarised states with records of human rights violations.
• Security built on force is fragile and false. True security must be demilitarised and grounded in the rule of law.

Key Highlights from WILPF’s Call

WILPF calls on all parties to:

• Immediately halt military attacks; 
• Prioritise diplomatic channels and regional de-escalation mechanisms; and 
• Uphold their obligations under the UN Charter, international humanitarian and human rights law. 

WILPF stands in solidarity with all civilians affected and reiterates: militarised “security” is not safety—it is instability by design.

Read our full statement and share it within your networks.

The post WILPF Calls for Immediate Ceasefire and Compliance with International Law  appeared first on WILPF.