Iran sharply accused the United States and Israel of waging what it called an “illegal and brutal war,” alleging a deliberate aerial attack on a girls' school in southern Iran that killed more than 175 people, according to a statement issued by the Permanent Mission of the I.R. of IRAN to UNOG on X.
Speaking at an urgent debate during the 61st session of the United Nations Human Rights Council, Iran's Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi said the country was “amid the throes of an illegal war imposed by two bullying nuclear-armed regimes, the United States and Israel.”
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The remarks, delivered during a debate focused on the reported attack on Shajareh Tayyebeh Girls' School in Minab, mark one of Tehran's strongest statements at an international forum since the escalation of hostilities.
'Not A Miscalculation'
Araghchi alleged that the strike on the school was “calculated” and “phased,” rejecting any suggestion that it was accidental. “This cruel attack is but the visible tip of a far bigger iceberg… no one can believe that the attack on the school was anything other than deliberate and intentional,” he said.
He further described the incident as both a “war crime” and a “crime against humanity,” adding that it “cannot be justified, cannot be concealed, and must not be met with silence.”
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Accusations Of Wider Civilian Targeting
The Iranian minister claimed the school attack was part of a broader pattern of strikes on civilian infrastructure across Iran, including hospitals, ambulances, and residential areas.
According to the statement, over 600 schools have been damaged or destroyed, and more than 1,000 students and teachers have been killed or injured.
Araghchi also accused United States officials of issuing “contradictory remarks” to justify the attack, saying such statements “could not elude their responsibility.”
Betrayal Of Diplomacy
Tehran further said that the conflict began on Feb. 28, during what it described as an ongoing diplomatic process with Washington over Iran's nuclear programme. “They betrayed diplomacy… by torpedoing the negotiating table,” Araghchi said.
He linked the current escalation to what he called a pattern of “lawlessness and atrocity” in other regional conflicts, including in Palestine and Lebanon.
Call For Accountability
Iran urged the international community to condemn the attacks and hold the alleged perpetrators accountable.
“You all need to call out the aggressors and let them know that the community of States… hold them accountable for the abhorrent crimes,” Araghchi told delegates.
He maintained that Iran “has never sought war,” but emphasised that its defense would continue “as long as needed.”
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