By Rachel Akper

The United Nations has called for accountability following a deadly airstrike on an elementary school in Minab, Iran, that killed 168 people, including pupils, teachers, and staff.

The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, described the February 28 attack as evoking “visceral horror” and urged the United States to conclude its investigation and make the findings public.

“There must be justice for the terrible harm done,” he said during an urgent debate at the UN Human Rights Council.

The bombing occurred on the first day of the ongoing Middle East conflict. Preliminary reports suggest a US Tomahawk cruise missile struck the school by mistake.

Iranian authorities have attributed the strike to a US-Israeli operation, while US officials have acknowledged the investigation but have not released a full report.

Türk stressed that those responsible must conduct a prompt, impartial, transparent, and thorough investigation, noting that “whatever differences countries have, we can all agree they will not be solved by killing school children.”

Friday’s discussion, requested by Iran, China, and Cuba, was the second urgent debate this week at the rights council focusing on civilian casualties in the Middle East conflict.

Earlier, the council addressed Iran’s strikes on Gulf countries, adopting a resolution condemning the attacks and calling for reparations for victims.

The incident has intensified international concern over civilian protection, highlighting the urgent need for accountability and adherence to international humanitarian law.