UN accuses US of war crime in Iran school strike; Iran of crimes against humanity

A United Nations fact-finding mission has concluded there are reasonable grounds to believe the United States conducted two military strikes on civilian infrastructure in Iran in February 2026, constituting war crimes under international law. The strikes targeted the Shajareh Tayyebeh primary school in Minab and a sports facility in Lamerd. According to Iranian officials, the school attack killed over 150 people, including approximately 120 schoolchildren. The Lamerd strike killed and injured 22 civilians and damaged nearby residential buildings and a school.

The UN investigators found that US forces relied on intelligence suggesting a senior Iranian military commander was present at the school but failed to adequately verify this information before launching the strike. The report stated that 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." UN experts determined the school was a clearly identifiable civilian object with no evidence of military use. In March, US Central Command denied launching any strikes on Lamerd that day. In June, President Donald Trump stated that "nobody" intentionally attacked a girls' school in Iran, citing an internal investigation.

The same UN mission also found that Iranian authorities committed crimes against humanity during their response to anti-government protests that erupted in late December 2025. The investigation documented widespread and systematic attacks on civilians, including unlawful killings, torture, arbitrary detention, enforced disappearances, and severe restrictions on freedom of expression. Rights groups reported that bystanders were among those killed in what became the largest crackdown since 1979. Iranian officials blamed "terrorists and rioters" backed by exiled opponents and foreign powers including the US and Israel. The UN could not independently verify death tolls but believed the number of dead and injured far exceeded official figures stating 3,038 killed and 25,000 injured.

US officials have previously stated that military operations are conducted in accordance with the law of armed conflict. Iran has consistently rejected allegations of systematic human rights violations. The Pentagon declined to comment on the UN report, stating its investigation remains ongoing. White House spokesperson Anna Kelly criticized the UN Human Rights Council, claiming it has "produced nothing for human rights" and asserting that Iran is the only party in the conflict that has committed war crimes.

The UN fact-finding mission is an investigative body, not a judicial court, and cannot initiate criminal proceedings. However, its findings can be used in criminal investigations by national courts or international judicial bodies such as the International Criminal Court. UN member states will discuss the report when it is presented to the Human Rights Council in Geneva.