UN Demands Justice for Deadly School Attack in Iran

SD Putri Shajare Tayyebe in Minab, Iran, which was hit by an attack on February 28. (Twitter/@araghchi)

JAKARTA - A deadly bombing at a school in Iran triggered "deep horror," the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights said on Friday, urging Washington to complete its investigation and demand justice "for the terrible damage that has occurred."

Speaking at the start of a debate urging the U.N. Human Rights Council focused on the Feb. 28 attack on an Iranian elementary school in Minab on the first day of the Middle East war, Volker Turk said "whatever differences countries have, we can all agree those differences will not be resolved by killing schoolchildren."

The bombing "aroused deep horror," Turk told the U.N.'s top rights body.

"Images of classrooms destroyed by bombs and grieving parents show clearly who pays the highest price for war: civilians who have no power in the decisions that lead to conflict," he said, launching Al Arabiya from AFP (27/3).

"In this case, 168 students, teachers, school staff, and their loved ones were reported," Turk said.

According to the preliminary findings of the US military investigation reported by the newspaper The New York Times, the US Tomahawk cruise missile hit the school due to a targeting error.

The UN Human Rights Chief stressed, "the responsibility lies with those who carried out the attack to investigate it immediately, impartially, transparently, and thoroughly."

"Senior US officials said the attack is being investigated," he said, calling for "the process to be completed as soon as possible, and for the findings to be made public."

"There must be justice for the terrible losses that have been inflicted," Turk said.

Friday's debate, at the request of Iran, China and Cuba, marked the second urgent debate before the human rights council this week, which focuses on the war in the Middle East.

On Wednesday, a debate requested by Bahrain on behalf of the Gulf Cooperation Council and Jordan, discussed Iran's attacks on countries across the Gulf region and their impact on civilians.

After the debate, the 47-member council unanimously approved a resolution condemning Iran's "heinous attacks" on its neighbors in the Gulf, and calling for "prompt reparations" to all victims of the attacks.

The council was not asked to consider the draft resolution during Friday's debate, which was scheduled to last about two hours.