This image grab from footage provided by the Iranian Red Crescent shows heavy smoke billowing near the organisation’s building in northern Tehran. AFP
They called on Israel to avoid hitting non-military targets and on Iran to move prisoners to safety.
On the 11th day of the escalating war between Israel and Iran, the UN's Independent International Fact-Finding Mission on Iran, along with the UN's special rapporteur on the rights situation in the country, called on all sides to "respect international law and protect civilians".
In a joint statement, they decried what appeared to be Israel's strikes on non-military targets.
"Some attacks -- including the targeting of the headquarters of Iran's state broadcasting agency ... and the targeted killing of scientists - appear to have been carried out in violation of the principle of distinction under international humanitarian law," they said.
The independent experts, who are mandated by the UN Human Rights Council but who do not speak on behalf of the United Nations, in particular voiced concern about the situation of detainees in Iran "held in prisons near sites of bombings".
They urged "Iranian authorities to relocate prisoners away from locations at risk from the airstrikes".
The call came after Israel earlier Monday hit Tehran's notorious Evin jail, known to hold political prisoners, including a number of foreigners.
Since it began launching large-scale attacks on Iran on June 13, Israeli strikes have killed more than 400 people in the country, Iran's health ministry has said.
Iran's retaliation on Israel have killed 24 people, according to official figures.
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