The Iranian Red Crescent Society (IRCS) has submitted reports to international bodies alleging violations of international humanitarian law by Israel, according to a senior IRCS official.
Ali Masoudian, Director of Principles, Law and Humanitarian Law at the IRCS, said that the organization has engaged with both the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and the Office of the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC).
"We have some sessions with the President of the International Committee of the Red Cross. Also we previously reported to them, submitted some reports outlining the violations of international humanitarian law, especially those enshrined in the Geneva Conventions, additional protocols. So also we submitted the report to the Office of the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court in the ICC, where the Iranian Red Crescent Society (IRCS), as an NGO, submitted some information to them regarding the violations of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court," said Masoudian.
While acknowledging the ICC may not be able to exercise jurisdiction over the case due to territorial and personal limitations, Masoudian said it was right to notify international bodies of potential breaches of international criminal and humanitarian law.
"It is true that the ICC may not exercise its jurisdiction over this case because it lacks territorial and personal jurisdiction, but we exercised our right to inform them of the violations of International Criminal law and also the IHL (international humanitarian law),” he said.
Masoudian recalled being in the immediate aftermath of an Israeli airstrike which he managed to escape unscathed but which was very close to major medical facilities.
"You know when I take down the stairs, immediately I saw many of the ambulances of the Iranian Red Crescent Society, the firefighters came in, also the police," he said.
"We were, you know, in a very good health. I mean ourselves evacuated from that building, but I don't know what was going on to the sick that were under operation maybe or were hospitalized during that area and you know that according to Geneva Conventions and the customary international humanitarian law targeting places in the vicinity of hospitals, which can have collateral damage also to the hospitals, is strictly prohibited but this happened for so many times," he said.
The Iranian Red Crescent Society is leading emergency operations to support communities affected by recent Israeli attacks, providing both physical and psychological assistance.
Iranian Red Crescent official accuses Israel of breaching humanitarian law
Farmers across the U.S. Midwest, a major agricultural hub with over 200 million acres of cropland, are facing unprecedented challenges as the cost of essential agricultural inputs, particularly diesel and fertilizer, has surged in recent weeks.
This sharp increase is largely attributed to the ongoing U.S.-Israeli war with Iran, which began in late February, and its ripple effects on global markets. The rising expenses are casting a shadow over the upcoming planting season, threatening to erode profitability for many.
At a farm in southern Illinois, preparations for planting season are underway, a process that critically relies on the application of fertilizer. However, the cost of this vital resource has escalated dramatically.
Brian Duncan, a farmer in Illinois, highlighted the global nature of the impact.
"The Strait of Hormuz is very important for transit of fuel and fertilizer, and it's a global market. So even if the shipments that were coming here are not impacted, what we will see is a global rise in price because of that insecurity, and it will impact us here," he said.
With many U.S. farmers locking in fertilizer prices last year, the full impact on farmers is only likely to be felt later in the year, if the conflict continues and fertilizer prices remain high.
Robb Ewoldt, a farmer in the neighboring state of Iowa, echoed these concerns. He noted that while farmers have faced high costs before, the current situation is compounded by depressed commodity prices for crops like soybeans and corn, meaning farmers face the prospect of producing at a loss this year.
"We have higher cost, and that's the biggest thing. We have had our costs be higher in the past, but right now, our commodity prices are a little bit depressed, and so it's making it very challenging to be profitable and make a positive cash flow for the year," said Ewoldt.
As fertilizer prices skyrocket, concerns are growing for many farmers. In the longer term, if input costs including fertilizer remain high, the consequences for farmers could be dire.
"The sentiment is, you know, when I go to meetings, we think, well, there's going to be, some of us aren't going to be here next year because we're not going to be in business," said Ewoldt.
"I'd say it's a time of concern, perhaps a time of survival mode, where we're looking to cut costs, not make any new expenditures, and try to hang on for either a better marketplace dynamic or a significant lowering of our input costs," said Duncan.
As the planting season commences, the inherent optimism of farmers will be put to the test against a backdrop of economic uncertainty and geopolitical volatility.
Soaring diesel, fertilizer costs hit US farmers
Soaring diesel, fertilizer costs hit US farmers
