Hameed Ahmadiyeh, Consul General of the Islamic Republic of Iran in Hyderabad, has called for an investigation into the February 28 strike on Shajareh Tayyebeh Elementary School in Minab city, Hormozgan province, alleging that the attack constituted a war crime.
In a press release on Wednesday, August 19, he said 168 students and teachers were killed, most of them schoolgirls aged between seven and 12. He described the incident as one of the deadliest attacks on civilians during the conflict.
According to the statement, the school was struck while classes were in session. Following the initial attack, the principal moved surviving children to a prayer hall and contacted parents to collect them. A subsequent strike hit the area, causing further casualties.
He said more explosions occurred later in the day after parents, civilians and emergency responders had reached the site. A clinic treating injured students was also damaged.
The Consul General cited missile remnants, CCTV footage, satellite imagery and arms experts as evidence supporting the identification of the weapon. He said investigations by BBC Verify, Bellingcat, CBC and Forensic Architecture identified the munition in verified footage as a US Tomahawk cruise missile.
He said the sequence of strikes raised questions under international humanitarian law, particularly the principles of distinction, proportionality and precautions in attack.
The statement said the school was clearly identifiable as a civilian facility and had no military use. It also noted that the school was located near an Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps naval facility.
Ahmadiyeh said the US authorities had stated that they would not deliberately target a school and that an investigation into the incident remained ongoing.
The release also highlighted the wider damage to Iran’s education sector during the conflict, saying more than 1,500 schools had been damaged. Of these, 16 were completely destroyed and 254 sustained 50 per cent damage, according to the statement.
He said the destruction at the Minab site complicated the identification of victims, with some remains recovered only in fragments and requiring DNA testing.
The statement cited the case of seven-year-old Makan Nasiri, whose remains were reportedly not recovered despite extensive searches. Only a bloodstained blue sweater and a cream-coloured shoe belonging to the child were found, according to the release.
The Consul General said the available evidence warranted an independent investigation into the strike and whether it violated international humanitarian law.
