Experts commissioned by the United Nations' top human rights body have announced they found "reasonable grounds" to believe the United States committed war crimes during two separate airstrikes in Iran. The report, released on Thursday, also accuses Iran's theocratic government of carrying out crimes against humanity against its own citizens. While the findings are not legally binding, they contribute to a growing body of international evidence regarding the conflict and could eventually be utilized in international courts to pursue justice.
The fact-finding mission, which is composed of independent experts and chaired by Bangladeshi jurist Sara Hossain, was established in 2022 by the Geneva-based U.N. Human Rights Council. The experts are scheduled to present their findings on Monday to the council, which consists of 47 U.N. member countries. The allegations of war crimes center on two U.S. airstrikes that resulted in at least 178 civilian deaths, including women and children.
According to the U.N.-backed team, one of the strikes involved Tomahawk missiles that hit the Shajareh Tayyebeh school in the southern city of Minab on February 28. While Iranian state media reported that 168 people were killed in the strike, most of them children, the U.N. experts concluded that the school building was the intended point of impact. The report explicitly stated that the resulting damage was not the result of an errant strike or collateral damage from an attack on a nearby compound belonging to Iran's Revolutionary Guard. The Trump administration has yet to release the findings of a Pentagon investigation into the school bombing or accept responsibility.
A second strike on February 28, also occurring in the southern city of Lamerd, involved Precision Strike Missiles that dispersed tungsten pellets over a residential area and a sports complex. The U.N.-backed team reported that 22 civilian men and women were killed in this incident. U.S. Central Command has denied responsibility for the strike in Lamerd. The U.N. statement noted that these actions constituted the war crime of launching indiscriminate attacks that resulted in civilian loss of life, injury, or damage to civilian objects.
The White House issued a scathing response to the report, with spokeswoman Anna Kelly describing the human rights body as having "accomplished nothing for human rights while spouting unserious nonsense for decades." Kelly asserted that the only party in the conflict committing war crimes is the Iranian regime, citing the murder of thousands of its own people, the killing of Americans overseas, acts of terrorism in the Strait of Hormuz, and indiscriminate attacks against regional neighbors. The U.S. State Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment from The Associated Press.
Regarding the Iranian government, the experts concluded that state security forces have committed crimes against humanity on a "staggering scale." The report documents violent repression over the last two years, including the use of assault rifles against crowds, the beating of protesters, and the arrest of healthcare workers. Detainees have reportedly faced torture and were denied legal counsel, leaving families in the dark regarding their whereabouts. The experts added that the Tehran government has intensified its use of the death penalty, with more than 70 people—including five women and three boys—remaining at imminent risk of execution.
The report, which utilized a "victims-centered approach," was based on interviews with 73 people inside and outside Iran, as well as satellite imagery, video and photographic material, and information from credible organizations. The team's efforts were partially impeded by an internet shutdown and a lack of cooperation from both governments. The experts noted that nearly three dozen requests for information from the Iranian government went unanswered, and similar requests made to the U.S. government in June for information and meetings with officials were also ignored. The team has called for both the United States and Iran to halt all rights violations and provide full reparations to victims.
