Trending 
The Assistant to the United States Secretary of Defence for Public Affairs, Sean Parnell, has alleged that Iran is using civilians as human shields in the ongoing war between the U.S, Israel and Iran.
The United States and Israel launched airstrikes against Iran on February 28, killing the late former Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei and plunging the Middle East into a crisis.
The war, now nearing its second week, attacks targeted military bases, nuclear-related facilities, and government sites in cities such as Tehran, Isfahan, and Qom, while Iran continues to launch reprisal attacks against Israel, U.S. military bases in the Middle East and its allies in the Gulf.
Parnell, in a statement shared on X on Sunday night, said Iran was becoming desperate, adding that the country’s desperation has led it to use its people as human shields by positioning missile and drone launchers in densely populated neighbourhoods.
The Iranian regime is growing increasingly desperate, deliberately positioning missile and drone launchers in densely populated civilian neighborhoods, near distribution centers, and inside residential areas.
This is a blatant and intentional tactic: using innocent Iranian…
— Sean Parnell (@SeanParnellASW) March 8, 2026
“The Iranian regime is growing increasingly desperate, deliberately positioning missile and drone launchers in densely populated civilian neighborhoods, near distribution centers, and inside residential areas,” Parnell wrote.
“This is a blatant and intentional tactic: using innocent Iranian civilians as human shields. We’ve seen this cowardly strategy before—it’s no accident.”
When the United States attacked Iran, it described the action as “preemptive”, accusing it of building nuclear weapons, but the world’s nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), said its observers found no evidence that the Middle East country was building nuclear weapons, debunking the U.S.’s “preemptive strike” justification.
Iran has attacked other countries in the region, a move which has been described as retaliatory, but the country has argued that its attacks are not simply retaliatory, but rather legitimate defensive actions under international law.
Drawing a comparison between the attacks launched by the U.S against those launched by Iran, Parnell said the U.S targets countries that are threats to them and their allies, accusing Iran of endangering innocent lives.
“At the same time, the regime is launching indiscriminate attacks on civilian targets across the Gulf: striking neighborhoods, hotels, international airports, and critical infrastructure, endangering thousands of innocents,” he added.
“Unlike Iran, the United States never targets civilians, and we will continue to act with precision, targeting only those who threaten us and our allies, and we will not relent.”
