UN rights chief urges US to conclude probe into deadly Iran school strike

The United Nations rights ​chief urged Washington to conclude its investigation into a fatal strike on a primary school in ‌Iran at a UN Human Rights Council meeting on Friday, with some states voicing outrage over the incident. Iran called the emergency debate at the Geneva council to discuss the attack on the Shajareh Tayyebeh School, which Tehran said killed more than 175 children and teachers ​on the first day of the nearly month-long regional war, which began with joint US-Israeli strikes. Reuters was the first to report on March 5 that US military investigators believed US forces were responsible, but have not yet reached a conclusion or completed their investigation. ​Israel has also said it was investigating the incident. UN Human Rights chief Volker Turk called for Washington to conclude its probe as soon as possible and publish the results. Read More: US, Israel waging ‘illegal, ruthless war’: Iran FM tells UNHRC "There must be justice for the terrible harm done," he said by video link after meetings with US officials in Washington this week. Asked for comment, Israel's diplomatic mission to the UN in Geneva criticised Iran for attacks on ​civilians across the region. "The fact that the embodiment of human rights violations is convening this urgent debate is a charade ​and an abuse of the UN Human Rights Council," a spokesperson said. The US mission referred questions about the incident and the status of ‌investigations ⁠to the State Department, which did not immediately respond to a comment request. Their seats were empty as both have disengaged from the body, alleging an anti-Israel bias. "This atrocity cannot be justified, cannot be concealed and must not be met with silence and indifference," Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi told the council by video link. Pakistan's ambassador to the UN in Geneva, Bilal ​Ahmad, said the death of school ​children was unconscionable, while ⁠China's ambassador Jia Guide said he was deeply shocked. "[It] is a breach of the bottom line of human morality, the most egregious violation of human rights and [shows] blatant contempt for ​IHL (international humanitarian law)," Jia said. Read More: Israel continues to bar Muslims from Friday prayers at Al-Aqsa Mosque for 4th straight week Numerous other countries, such as Britain, said they were appalled while ​also drawing attention ⁠to Iran's own human rights violations during mass protests against Iranian authorities in January. Others condemned Iran's retaliatory strikes since the war began on February 28, including its attacks against Israel, US bases and Gulf states, which were discussed by the council earlier this week. Brazil's ambassador ⁠Tovar da ​Silva Nunes voiced regret that there had been no holistic debate on ​violations during the regional war, echoing concerns by rights groups about "selective outrage". A bereaved mother, Mohaddeseh Fallahat, also addressed the 47-member council, calling for justice "so that ​the world knows that children's lives are not worthless".