Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Seyyed Mojtaba Khamenei has directed the country's judiciary to pursue legal action over rights he says Iran lost as a result of US and Israeli military action against the country over the past year, Iran's state-affiliated Press TV reported.
The remarks came in a message marking Judiciary Week, an annual occasion tied to the anniversary of the killing of Ayatollah Mohammad Beheshti.
Khamenei told judicial officials that recovering rights violated by what he called "international criminals and arrogant and aggressive powers" now ranks among the judiciary's most urgent legal priorities, according to the agency.
He framed the judiciary's mandate broadly, saying it must look beyond individual cases to defend Iran's collective interests against foreign aggression, while also working to protect civil liberties, root out corruption and strengthen public trust in the legal system.
Khamenei linked this push to two conflicts he described as wars of aggression waged by the US and Israel against Iran, in June 2025 and again in February 2026. He said the resulting deaths, along with broader material and psychological harm to Iranians, could form grounds for what he estimated as hundreds or even thousands of legal cases.
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He singled out alleged child casualties and strikes he characterised as war crimes in the towns of Minab and Lamerd, as well as damage to hospitals and public services.
"What is certain is that the criminals must be brought to justice and made to face the consequences of their criminal acts," Khamenei said.
He further argued that public comments from American and Israeli officials acknowledging, or expressing pride in, military actions against Iran effectively amount to confessions that Tehran could use to bolster its legal claims in domestic and international courts.
Khamenei also said a directive from his predecessor, Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, instructing judicial officials to investigate crimes from the 2025 conflict during their final meeting last year, should now be widened to include the more recent war and pursued until rulings are issued and enforced.
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