Iran school bombing: grounds to believe US was behind atrocity, UN finds

Key Points:

• A UN fact-finding mission concluded there are reasonable grounds to believe the US was responsible for two military strikes on a school and sports facility in Iran in February, which constitute war crimes under international law.
• The mission found that the US failed to adequately verify intelligence before targeting the Shajareh Tayyebeh primary school in Minab, resulting in over 150 deaths, including around 120 children, and deemed the attack reckless and indiscriminate.
• The report also identified a similar indiscriminate strike on a sports center in Lamerd that caused civilian casualties and damage, despite US Central Command denying involvement in strikes in that city on the day.
• The UN investigation found Iranian authorities committed crimes against humanity during their crackdown on anti-government protests starting in late December, involving unlawful killings, torture, arbitrary detentions, and severe restrictions on freedoms.
• The report highlighted that the Iranian government's violent response, including internet shutdowns and use of the death penalty, was a significant escalation from past suppression of dissent, with the actual death toll likely higher than official figures.