At an urgent session of the United Nations Human Rights Council, Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi delivered a scathing condemnation of a February 28th airstrike that devastated an elementary school in Minab. He characterized the attack, which occurred on the opening day of broader Middle East hostilities, as a ‘calculated, phased assault’ by the United States that resulted in the deaths of ‘more than 175 students and teachers.’
The session, convened at the request of Iran, China, and Cuba, served as a platform for Araghchi to formally accuse the US of ‘a war crime and a crime against humanity,’ demanding unequivocal condemnation and accountability. The emotional weight of the debate was amplified by Mohaddeseh Falahat, a mother who lost two children in the bombing, who pleaded with diplomats via video link not to let the tragedy be forgotten.
The US military’s preliminary investigation, as reported by The New York Times, pointed to a catastrophic targeting error. A Tomahawk cruise missile, intended for an adjacent Iranian military base, struck the school instead due to the use of outdated coordinates, as the school building was formerly part of the base complex. This explanation was met with deep skepticism from Iranian officials. Araghchi argued that given the US military’s access to advanced precision technology, the incident ‘cannot be believed to be anything other than deliberate and intentional.’
UN Human Rights Chief Volker Turk described the bombing as evoking ‘visceral horror’ and emphasized the necessity for a prompt, impartial, and transparent investigation, calling for the US to swiftly conclude its probe and publicize the findings. The debate also saw widespread condemnation from numerous nations, including China and Cuba, who criticized the US and Israel for initiating broader conflict without Security Council authorization. Simultaneously, Turk and several member states raised concerns over Iran’s reported domestic crackdown on rights amidst the ongoing conflict, noting that war does not absolve Tehran of its human rights obligations.