A UN fact-finding mission on Iran said on Thursday it had reasonable grounds to believe the United States was behind two military strikes on a school and a sports facility in Iran in February that killed at least 178 civilians, and that the strikes constituted war crimes.
The Independent International Fact-Finding Mission on Iran also found that Iranian authorities committed crimes against humanity during a crackdown on nationwide anti-government protests that began in late December.
The findings are contained in a new report to be submitted to the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva. The report examined the conduct of the US during the US-Israeli war against Iran that began in late February, and the Iranian government’s response to unrest.
The Iranian and US permanent missions in Geneva did not immediately respond to requests for comment. US officials have previously said military operations are conducted in accordance with the law of armed conflict, while Iran has consistently rejected allegations of systematic rights violations.
The mission said it had reasonable grounds to believe US forces were responsible for a strike on the Shajareh Tayyebeh Primary School in the southern city of Minab on Feb. 28, where Iranian officials said more than 150 people were killed, including about 120 schoolchildren. Iranian state media put the death toll at 168.
Investigators said the building was a clearly identifiable civilian object and found no evidence it was being used for military purposes. The strike was carried out with Tomahawk missiles and the school building was the intended point of impact, not the result of an errant strike or collateral damage, the report said.
A second strike on the same day hit a sports complex and residential area in the southern city of Lamerd, killing 22 civilians, according to the mission.
The report said the strike involved Precision Strike Missiles that dispersed tungsten pellets over the area. US Central Command has denied responsibility for the Lamerd strike.
According to the mission, the US relied on intelligence suggesting proximity to an Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps naval complex but failed to adequately verify the information or confirm the buildings were military objectives before launching the strikes.
The mission concluded there were reasonable grounds to believe the attacks amounted to the war crime of launching indiscriminate attacks resulting in death, injury to civilians, or damage to civilian objects.
The experts are expected to present their findings to the 47-member Human Rights Council on Monday.
The report urged both Iran and the US to cease violations, provide reparations to victims, and called for diplomatic action to ensure accountability.
The mission also said Iranian authorities committed crimes against humanity during their response to protests, including unlawful killings, arbitrary detention and the imminent risk of execution for more than 70 people, including five women and three boys.
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