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UN experts say grounds to believe US committed war crimes in Iran strikes

September 17, 2026

UN human rights experts have concluded there are reasonable grounds to believe the United States committed war crimes in February 2026 missile strikes on two civilian locations in Iran—a primary school in Minab and a sports complex in Lamerd—that together killed at least 177 civilians, including 127 children. The investigators determined both facilities were clearly identifiable civilian structures not used for military purposes, and the attacks constituted indiscriminate strikes causing civilian casualties and infrastructure damage. While the US has denied striking Lamerd and claims to be investigating the Minab incident, American officials have dismissed the UN findings as lacking credibility.

Who is affected

  • At least 177 civilians killed in the US strikes, including 127 children (120 in Minab, 7 in Lamerd)
  • Students and staff at Shajareh Tayyebeh Primary School in Minab
  • Civilians using the sports complex and residents in the surrounding residential area in Lamerd
  • Anita Ghasemi (wounded survivor from Lamerd strike mentioned)
  • Survivors of both attacks
  • Iranian civilians caught between their government's human rights violations and the US-Israel conflict with Iran
  • Mass protesters in Iran and victims of the January crackdown

What action is being taken

  • The Independent International Fact-Finding Mission on Iran is investigating the strikes and has produced a report for the UN Human Rights Council
  • The US military is investigating what happened in Minab (investigation ongoing but findings not yet released)

Why it matters

  • This represents a significant international legal and humanitarian crisis where UN experts have formally accused the United States of war crimes involving the deaths of over 120 children and numerous other civilians. The findings challenge US military claims about targeting practices and raise serious questions about accountability for strikes on clearly identifiable civilian infrastructure. The situation illustrates the devastating impact on Iranian civilians who face violence both from their own government's crackdown on dissent and from international military operations, creating a humanitarian crisis from multiple directions.

What's next

  • No explicit next steps stated in the article

Read full article from source: BBC