Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei says US military personnel should not follow “unlawful orders” as obedience to “superior orders” does not absolve individuals of responsibility for war crimes.
In a post on X on Thursday, Baghaei called on US service members to refrain from committing “war crimes” on behalf of others.
He said the ruling establishment in the US seeks to sacrifice the remaining principles of international humanitarian law and the basic standards of human ethics and civilization in pursuit of its “insatiable appetite for war and slaughter.”
He added that any policy calling for the destruction of civilian infrastructure, including bridges and power plants, is “manifestly unlawful and criminal.”
Do Not Commit War Crimes for Anyone; citing superior orders to justify war crimes does not absolve the perpetrators of criminal liability.
The U.S. ruling establishment intends to sacrifice whatever remains of international humanitarian law and the foundations of human ethics…
— Esmaeil Baqaei (@IRIMFA_SPOX) July 23, 2026
“It constitutes reprisal and collective punishment—both of which are explicitly prohibited as war crimes under international humanitarian law and U.S. domestic law alike, specifically under 18 U.S.C. § 2441 (the War Crimes Act),” the Iranian spokesperson reiterated.
Baghaei emphasized that there is no statute of limitations for such offenses, saying, “The Uniform Code of Military Justice and the Department of Defense Law of War Manual make it unequivocally clear that service members have both a legal and moral duty to refuse manifestly unlawful orders.”
He affirmed Iran’s seriousness and resolve to stand against “lawlessness and the flouting of the law.”
The remarks came after US President Donald Trump said US forces would target Iranian bridges or power plants in response to the Islamic Republic’s efforts to prevent illegal vessel movement through the waterway.
In a post on X on Tuesday, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi asserted that any attack on Iran’s infrastructural facilities entails a befitting response targeting the aggressors and those aiding them.
“Our defense doctrine is clear: eye for an eye,” the top diplomat stated.
