Preamble
The signatories acknowledge that the conflict has inflicted profound suffering on civilian populations across the region and beyond. Thousands of innocent lives have been lost. Families have been shattered. Communities have been destroyed. No military objective, no strategic gain, no political victory can restore what has been taken from those who bore no responsibility for the decisions that led to war.
The signatories further acknowledge that the failure to address this suffering—to name it, to account for it, to make amends for it—would leave the wounds of this war unhealed, ensuring that the next generation inherits not peace, but the memory of injustice.
Section 1: Acknowledgment of Loss
1.1 The United States, the Islamic Republic of Iran, the State of Israel, and the Gulf Cooperation Council states, on behalf of their respective governments, acknowledge the deaths of thousands of civilians during the conflict that began on February 28, 2026.
1.2 The signatories specifically acknowledge:
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The deaths of over 200 children in Iranian territory, including the students of Minab Elementary School who were killed by a U.S. Tomahawk missile on March 4, 2026
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The deaths of over 100 children in Lebanese territory from Israeli airstrikes
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The deaths of civilians in the Gulf states, including the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Bahrain, from Iranian missile and drone strikes
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The deaths of 87 sailors aboard the IRIS Dena, who perished when the vessel was sunk by a U.S. torpedo in international waters off the coast of Sri Lanka
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The deaths of seven U.S. service members and over 140 wounded
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The deaths of civilians in Israel from Iranian missile barrages
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The deaths of over 1,800 Iranian civilians from U.S. and Israeli airstrikes
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The deaths of over 900 Lebanese civilians from Israeli strikes
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The deaths of over 60 Iraqi civilians from the conflict’s spillover
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The deaths of unknown numbers of civilians from Yemen, Syria, and other nations caught in the crossfire
1.3 The signatories acknowledge that these losses are not statistics. Each number represents a human being with a name, a family, a story, a future that will not be lived. The signatories commit to establishing a permanent memorial in a neutral location, inscribed with the names of all verified civilian casualties, to ensure that the dead are not forgotten.
Section 2: Compensation for Loss
2.1 A Human Cost Compensation Fund shall be established, capitalized by contributions from all signatory states proportional to their responsibility for civilian casualties, as determined by an independent commission of inquiry.
2.2 The Fund shall be administered by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), which shall establish transparent, non-discriminatory procedures for:
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Identifying eligible claimants (families of deceased civilians, severely injured civilians, families of deceased non-combatant military personnel such as the IRIS Dena sailors)
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Verifying claims through documentary and testimonial evidence
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Disbursing compensation in a timely manner
2.3 Compensation shall be paid to:
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Families of civilian deceased: a standard amount per deceased, to be determined by the Fund’s trustees, with additional amounts for child victims
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Severely injured civilians: compensation scaled to the nature and permanence of injuries
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Families of non-combatant military personnel killed in incidents where the military necessity of the attack is disputed (such as the IRIS Dena)
2.4 The Fund shall prioritise claims from families of child victims, whose deaths represent a unique moral injury that cannot be measured solely in financial terms.
Section 3: Apology and Accountability
3.1 The United States government issues a formal apology to the families of the Minab school children and to the Iranian people for the strike that killed over 100 children. The United States acknowledges that the school was not a military target and that the strike resulted from a failure of intelligence and targeting procedures.
3.2 The United States government issues a formal apology to the families of the 87 sailors of the IRIS Dena and to the Iranian people for the sinking of a vessel that was not engaged in hostilities at the time of the attack. The United States acknowledges that the sailors’ deaths were not necessary to achieve a military objective and that the failure to attempt rescue violated the spirit, if not the letter, of the Second Geneva Convention.
3.3 The Islamic Republic of Iran issues a formal apology to the families of civilian victims in the Gulf states and to the peoples of the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Bahrain for missile and drone strikes that targeted civilian infrastructure. Iran acknowledges that these strikes caused unnecessary suffering and that the targeting of energy facilities endangered civilian populations.
3.4 The State of Israel issues a formal apology to the families of civilian victims in Lebanon and to the Lebanese people for airstrikes that killed over 100 children. Israel acknowledges that the scale of civilian casualties exceeded any legitimate military objective.
3.5 All signatories commit to establishing independent, transparent investigations into incidents where civilian casualties were disproportionately high, with the findings to be made public and the recommendations implemented.
Section 4: Memorialization and Education
4.1 A Memorial to the Innocent shall be constructed in a neutral location, to be agreed upon by the signatories, bearing the names of all verified civilian casualties of the conflict.
4.2 The Memorial shall be maintained by an independent foundation, with contributions from all signatories, and shall serve as a place of remembrance and reflection.
4.3 Educational programs about the conflict and its human cost shall be developed for schools in all signatory countries, with the goal of ensuring that future generations understand the consequences of war and the value of peace.
Section 5: No Statute of Limitations
5.1 The provisions of this Article shall have no statute of limitations. Claims for compensation may be filed by eligible families at any time, and the Memorial shall be updated as additional names are verified.
5.2 The signatories acknowledge that the wounds of this war will take generations to heal. This Article is not a final accounting. It is a beginning.
date 26 March 2026