UN rights chief expresses horror over US missile strike that killed 168 at an Iranian school, demanding a swift and transparent investigation.
GENEVA: The UN’s top human rights official expressed “visceral horror” over a deadly US missile strike on an Iranian elementary school.
Volker Turk told the UN Human Rights Council that the images of bombed classrooms and grieving parents showed civilians pay war’s highest price.
“The onus is on those who carried out the attack to investigate it promptly, impartially, transparently and thoroughly,” Turk said.
He called for the US investigation to be concluded as soon as possible with its findings made public.
“There must be justice for the terrible harm done,” the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights stated.
A US Tomahawk cruise missile hit the school in Minab on February 28 due to a targeting error, according to preliminary US military findings.
The strike reportedly killed 168 pupils, teachers, school staff and their relatives.
“Whatever differences countries have, we can all agree they will not be solved by killing schoolchildren,” Turk told the urgent debate.
The session was convened at the request of Iran, China and Cuba to discuss the incident.
It marked the council’s second urgent debate this week on the Middle East war.
On Wednesday, the council condemned Iran’s “egregious attacks” on Gulf neighbours in a consensus resolution.
That debate, requested by Gulf states, focused on Iranian strikes and their impact on civilians.
Friday’s debate was scheduled to last around two hours with no draft resolution proposed.
