UN Moves as US Attack on Iranian Primary School Likely to be Addressed

Jakarta, CNBC Indonesia - United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk has urged a rapid investigation into the deadly attack on a primary school in southern Iran. The call follows a media investigation suggesting the attack was most likely carried out by the United States military.

The attack occurred on the first day of the war, last Saturday, when a primary school in the town of Minab was reported to have been struck by an air strike. Iranian officials said at least 150 people were killed in the incident.

Türk strongly condemned the incident and described it as a major tragedy. He stressed that the investigation must be conducted quickly and openly.

“This is a truly tragic incident. I hope the investigation will be carried out swiftly and in full transparency,” Türk told reporters in Geneva, Switzerland, according to AFP.

He also stressed the importance of accountability for the incident. “We also hope for accountability, because clearly mistakes have occurred,” he said.

So far, neither Israel nor the United States has formally admitted responsibility for the attack. The location of the school was not far from facilities controlled by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.

The US Department of Defence said it was conducting an investigation into the incident.

An investigative report published by The New York Times on Thursday said that US military statements regarding operations targeting a naval target around the Strait of Hormuz indicated that American forces were likely behind the attack.

An analysis of social media posts at the time of the incident, as well as photos and videos from witnesses, showed that Shajare Tayyebeh School was hit at the same time as the IRGC naval base target in the area.

Two unnamed US officials told Reuters that investigators believe that US forces were “highly likely” responsible for the attack.

AFP said it had not yet been able to access the site to independently verify casualties or the chronology of events.

The United States’ top military officer, General Dan Caine, previously stated that the United States was indeed conducting operations in southern Iran at the same time.

According to The New York Times, Caine even showed a map outlining the area including Minab as part of the target area within the first 100 hours of the military operation.

Minab lies about 25 kilometres from the Strait of Hormuz, a strategic global shipping route.

Caine also noted that Israeli military operations were more concentrated in northern Iran.

Türk welcomed the US government’s statement that it would conduct an investigation. He, however, stressed that the process must be very fast. “We need this to be done very quickly, and we must also ensure accountability and restitution for the victims,” he said.

He also highlighted serious concerns about compliance with international humanitarian law in the ongoing conflict. “There are significant concerns about respect for international humanitarian law, particularly regarding how military operations are conducted, including precautions, the principle of distinction, and proportionality,” Türk said.

He stated that schools are civilian institutions and should never be targeted.

Additionally, he said there are questions about the type of weapons used and the timing of the attack.

Norwegian-based human rights monitor Hengaw Organization for Human Rights reported that the school was in a morning session at the time of the strike, with around 170 students at the site.

Türk said the tragedy holds a bitter lesson for the international community. “There is a very disturbing and tragic lesson when girls are killed in this way,” he said.

He hoped the incident would not only be followed by assurances that such events do not recur, but also a thorough review of the standard operating procedures governing military operations in such situations.

Türk stressed that the responsibility for the investigation now lies with the party that carried out the attack. “The burden of responsibility now truly lies with the party that conducted this attack to carry out such an investigation,” he said. “We hope accountability is truly upheld.”