UN Finds Grounds U.S. Committed War Crimes in Iran Strikes

Minab Primary School Strike Leaves Over 150 Dead

On February 28, Tomahawk missiles struck the Shajareh Tayyebeh Primary School in the southern Iranian town of Minab, killing at least 156 people, including approximately 120 schoolchildren, according to local authorities cited by the UN Independent International Fact-Finding Mission on Iran. The mission’s experts concluded that the attack was indiscriminate, causing massive civilian deaths and infrastructure damage that amounted to a war crime.

The school was situated adjacent to an Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) naval complex that was also targeted that day. However, UN experts determined the school was clearly identifiable and found no evidence that it served military purposes. Survivors reported the school was struck twice, leading investigators to conclude the building was the intended impact point rather than an errant strike or collateral damage.

U.S. media outlets, including the New York Times and Reuters, reported that preliminary findings from an internal military investigation suggest American forces were responsible. The probe indicated that the U.S. relied on outdated targeting data regarding a senior Iranian military commander and failed to confirm the building’s civilian status. According to the report, this failure went beyond mere negligence, showing the U.S. directed strikes while aware of a substantial risk to a civilian object. The Pentagon has since elevated the investigation but has not published preliminary findings. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth stated that the military would “never target civilian targets,” while White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly dismissed the UN Human Rights Council report as “unserious nonsense.”

Lamerd Sports Facility Bombing

In a parallel incident on February 28, a precision strike hit a sports center and surrounding residential area in the town of Lamerd, killing and injuring 22 civilians, including seven children, according to local authorities. The UN mission report stated that Precision Strike Missiles (PrSM) dispersed clouds of tungsten pellets over the area, damaging a nearby school and residential buildings.

The UN fact-finding panel concluded the Lamerd strike was indiscriminate and constituted a war crime, noting that the facility was clearly identifiable as a civilian object with no military utility. Investigators cited the unique presence of PrSM missiles in the conflict as a primary factor linking the strike to U.S. forces. In contrast, U.S. Central Command stated in March that American forces did not launch any strikes into Lamerd on that date and disputed reports identifying the weapon used.

Systematic Crackdown and Crimes Against Humanity

Alongside its findings on U.S. military conduct, the UN probe documented a widespread and systematic attack against civilians by Iranian authorities during protests that erupted in late December. Investigators detailed unlawful killings, torture, arbitrary detention, enforced disappearances, and severe freedom-of-expression restrictions during the biggest crackdown since the 1979 revolution.

While official figures from Tehran report 3,038 deaths and 25,000 injuries, the UN mission believes the actual toll is significantly higher. The government’s response—including internet blackouts, lethal force, and the use of the death penalty—marked a severe escalation in suppressing dissent. Tehran defended its actions by blaming “terrorists and rioters” backed by foreign adversaries, including the U.S. and Israel.

Frequently Asked Questions

What did the UN fact-finding mission conclude about U.S. strikes in Iran?

The UN mission found reasonable grounds to believe U.S. forces committed war crimes by launching indiscriminate attacks on a primary school in Minab and a sports complex in Lamerd in February.

How has the U.S. government responded to the allegations?

The White House dismissed the report, calling it “unserious nonsense” and asserting that the Iranian regime is the sole party committing war crimes. The Pentagon has not published findings from its elevated internal probe into the Minab strike, though defense officials maintain the military does not target civilians.

What did the UN report say about Iran’s domestic actions?

The report concluded that Iranian authorities committed crimes against humanity through unlawful killings, torture, and mass arrests during a violent crackdown on anti-government protests that began in late December.