A fact-finding mission commissioned by the United Nations stated it has "reasonable grounds" to believe that the United States committed war crimes and crimes against humanity amid its conflict with Iran.
The Independent International Fact-Finding Mission on Iran, commissioned by the UN's Human Rights Council, released a report stating the US airstrikes killed at least 178 civilians, including women and children.
The report also focuses on the crimes against humanity committed by the Iranian regime during its crackdown on anti-government protests in the nation.
Minab school strike an 'indiscriminate attack
Following the joint attack from the US and Israel on February 28, the UN-backed mission stated it had "reasonable ground to believe" that Washington committed the war crime "of launching indiscriminate attacks resulting in the loss of life or injury to civilians or damage to civilian objects."
Based on this claim, the mission has cited the firing of Tomahawk missiles on the "clearly identifiable" Shajareh Tayyebeh Primary School in Minab. This strike killed over 150 people, including approximately 120 girls and boys.
The US had initially denied that it struck a school during its attacks on Iran.
{{/usCountry}}The US had initially denied that it struck a school during its attacks on Iran.
{{/usCountry}}In June, US President Donald Trump added that "nobody" purposefully attacked a girls' school in Iran, citing an investigation into the incident.
However, after multiple reports stated that the Minab building was easily identifiable as a school, the Pentagon elevated its probe into the matter, but is yet to publish any findings.
The mission has also cited another airstrike where Precision Strike Missiles dispersed clouds of tungsten pellets over a clearly identifiable sports complex and residential area in Lamerd, killing 22 civilians.
Also Read | ‘Angels of Minab': Children's sketches from destroyed Iran school displayed at embassy in Delhi
Mass killings and extensive arrests: Iran's crackdown on protests in focus
The fact-finding mission also flagged the regime's brutal crackdown on the mass anti-government protests, which began in December 2025.
As per the UN report, the mission stated that killings by the State "occurred on a staggering scale" across all 31 provinces of the country. The mission added that the highest death tolls were reported in Tehran, Karaj, Mashhad, Isfahan, and Rasht.
Assault rifles, tear gas and metal pellets were fired against demonstrators. The report added that at least 221 children were also killed during the regime's crackdown.
Also Read | Crackdown that left over 3,400 dead: How Iran protest was repressed within days
“Security forces also attacked healthcare facilities, beating and arresting wounded protestors and arresting some healthcare workers, which deterred victims from seeking life-saving care,” the report noted further.
The mission noted that the Iranian government also intensified its use of death sentences against protestors, torture of detainees, denial of legal counsel and other such violations of human rights.
Taking into account the crackdown as well as the US-Israel strike on the Minab school, the UN-backed mission concluded that many of the violations amount to crimes against humanity - including murder, imprisonment, torture, and other inhumane acts committed as part of a widespread and systematic attack on civilians.