Afghanistan, March 5 -- A group of independent experts linked to the United Nations condemned recent military strikes by the United States and Israel on Iran, saying the attacks violated international law.

In a joint statement issued Thursday, the experts said the strikes were carried out during ongoing diplomatic negotiations and without authorization from the United Nations Security Council.

They said the attacks breached fundamental principles of the UN Charter, including the prohibition on the use of force, respect for sovereign equality, territorial integrity and the obligation to settle disputes peacefully.

The experts also expressed concern about possible Iranian responses in the Persian Gulf and across the Middle East, stressing ...