UN Panel: US Committed War Crimes in Attacks in Iran, Tehran Committing Crimes Against Humanity
A United Nations fact-finding mission has found reasonable grounds that the US committed war crimes in attacks on schools and gymnasiums in Iran, while stating that the Tehran administration committed crimes against humanity in its crackdown on protests.
The UN's independent fact-finding mission on Iran announced that there are reasonable grounds to believe US forces are responsible for attacks in February on schools and sports facilities in Iran that killed civilians, including numerous children, and that these constitute war crimes.
Report to be Presented to Geneva
The findings in the new report prepared by the Independent International Fact-Finding Mission on Iran will be presented to the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva.
The report addresses the course of action by the US during the war that began in February and the Iranian government's response to nationwide unrest that started in late December.
Minab School Attack
UN experts stated they found reasonable grounds to believe US forces were responsible for the attack on the Shajareh Tayyebeh Elementary School in the city of Minab.
According to Iranian authorities, the attack, which killed more than 150 people including approximately 120 school children, was described as an indiscriminate attack that led to civilian casualties and infrastructure damage.
US Targeting Data
The report revealed that failing to update information in targeting databases and not verifying whether the building was a military target went beyond mere negligence.
It was stated that the US targeted the school being aware of a major risk to civilians and acting recklessly regarding this possibility.
Lamerd Sports Center Attack
Experts reached and documented a similar conclusion regarding the attack on a sports center in the city of Lamerd.
It was noted that the strike damaged nearby residential buildings and a school, resulting in the death or injury of 22 civilians.
Crackdown on Protests in Iran
The UN mission also determined that Iranian authorities carried out a widespread and systematic attack against civilians during protests that erupted in late December of last year.
It was reported that these interventions included unlawful killings, torture, arbitrary arrests, enforced disappearances, and severe restrictions on freedom of expression.
Casualty Figures
Rights groups reported that bystanders were among those who lost their lives during the largest crackdown since the 1979 revolution.
The mission stated it believes the death and injury tolls are much higher than official figures, which state that 3,038 people were killed and 25,000 were injured.