UN Calls for Justice in Iran School Strike Investigation
The UN's human rights chief has called on the United States to finalize its investigation and release the findings regarding a fatal strike on an Iranian primary school that occurred on the first day of the war last month.
The bombing "evoked a visceral horror," Volker Türk stated during an urgent debate at the UN Human Rights Council, emphasizing that "there must be justice for the terrible harm done."
The attack targeted Shajareh Tayyebeh school and involved two missile strikes in rapid succession, resulting in at least 168 fatalities, including approximately 110 children, according to Iranian officials.
US Investigation and Military Response
Reports from US media indicate that American military investigators believe US forces were likely responsible for unintentionally striking the school.
US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth has previously confirmed that the incident is under investigation.
If US involvement is confirmed, the strike would represent one of the most severe single incidents of civilian casualties in decades of US military operations in the Middle East.
"The images of bombed-out classrooms and grieving parents showed clearly who pays the highest price for war: civilians with no power in the decisions that led to conflict," Türk said.
Türk added that "the onus is on those who carried out the attack to investigate it promptly, impartially, transparently and thoroughly."
"Senior US officials have said the strike is under investigation," he continued, calling "for that process to be concluded as soon as possible, and for its findings to be made public."
Iran's Response and International Pressure
Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi addressed the UN meeting in Geneva via video, describing the bombing as a "deliberate and intentional" attack by the US. He stated,
"This atrocity cannot be justified, cannot be concealed, and must not be met with silence and indifference."
Earlier this month, nearly all Democrats in the US Senate sent a letter to Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth demanding answers about the strike.
The letter posed detailed questions regarding the strike in Minab, beginning with whether the US conducted the attack.
It also inquired whether outdated or faulty target analysis might have caused the school to be hit.
Additionally, the letter referenced Hegseth's earlier statement during a news conference that there would be no "stupid rules of engagement" in the war, questioning if the defence secretary adhered to rules designed to prevent war crimes.
The Pentagon has stated it will respond directly to the letter's authors, as is standard with congressional correspondence.
Hegseth has reiterated that the US does not target civilians and is investigating the incident.
Details of the Strike and Evidence
The New York Times, citing sources briefed on the US investigation, reported that officers at US Central Command (Centcom) generated the target coordinates for the strike using outdated data from the Defense Intelligence Agency.
The intended target was an adjacent base belonging to Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), which the school building was formerly part of.
Expert video analysis has confirmed that the IRGC base was struck by a Tomahawk missile, a type of US cruise missile not known to be possessed by either Israel or Iran.
A video released by Iran's semi-official Mehr news agency, verified as authentic by BBC Verify, showed a missile moments before it struck the base.
Experts who reviewed the footage noted the presence of a Tomahawk missile and evidence of multiple strikes in the area, indicating a US operation.
Additional reporting by Tom Bateman
