Did US commit war crimes in Iran? UN probe flags deadly Minab school strike
&imwidth=600&imheight=450&format=webp&quality=medium "Did US commit war crimes in Iran? UN probe flags deadly Minab school strike")
This image grab taken from Iranian state television broadcasted on February 28, 2026, show what it says is the site of deadly US and Israeli strikes that hit a girls' elementary school in Minab, in the southern Iranian province of Hormozgan near the strategic sea route of the Strait of Hormuz. Photograph: (AFP)
A UN probe found “reasonable grounds” to believe US strikes in Iran amounted to war crimes, including the deadly Minab school attack. It also accused Iran of crimes against humanity.
A United Nations fact-finding mission on Iran said on Thursday (Sep 17) that it has found “reasonable grounds” to believe that US forces were responsible for two military strikes in Iran in February that amounted to war crimes, including a deadly attack on a primary school. The mission said the strikes targeted a school in Minab and a sports facility in Lamerd. Its findings are part of a report that will be presented to the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva. The mission also found that the Iranian authorities committed crimes against humanity during their crackdown against anti-government protests.
The strike on Shajareh Tayyebeh Primary School in Minab killed more than 150 people, including around 120 children, according to Iranian officials. The UN mission said the school was a clearly identifiable civilian site and found no evidence that it was being used for military purposes.
It concluded that the attack was indiscriminate and caused civilian deaths and damage to civilian infrastructure. The mission also said the failure to update targeting information and confirm the school was a military objective went beyond mere negligence.
The report said: “Rather, the US directed the strikes at the building of the school while being aware of a substantial risk of striking a civilian object and acting recklessly as regards the possibility that this would happen.”
The mission reached a similar conclusion about a strike on a sports centre in Lamerd, saying it damaged nearby homes and a school and killed or injured 22 civilians. US Central Command had previously said American forces did not conduct strikes in Lamerd on that day.
Iran accused of crimes against humanity
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The UN mission also examined Iran’s response to anti-government protests that began in late December. It found what it described as a widespread and systematic attack on civilians, involving unlawful killings, torture, arbitrary detention, enforced disappearances and restrictions on freedom of expression.
The mission said it could not independently verify the reported death toll but believed the number killed and injured was likely significantly higher than official figures of 3,038 deaths and 25,000 injuries.
The report said the government’s response, including killings, internet shutdowns and use of the death penalty, represented a significant escalation in the suppression of dissent.
UN fact-finding missions are investigative rather than judicial bodies. Their findings do not themselves launch criminal cases but can potentially be used in investigations by national courts or international tribunals.
