By Desirée Cormier Smith and Jessica Stern
On the first day of the Trump administration’s war on Iran, a missile struck a girls’ elementary school in Minab, killing at least 156 people—including more than 120 children. Preliminary investigations concluded that the United States was responsible. But there has been no pursuit of accountability, and President Donald Trump has sloughed off accusations of U.S. culpability and calls for further investigation.
Over the 39 days of war following the Minab bombing before a cease-fire was reached on April 8, the United States and Israel damaged educational facilities, hospitals, public gathering spaces, critical civilian infrastructure, and a UNESCO World Heritage site. Iran’s health ministry reported that by June, nearly 3,500 people had been killed and more than 26,000 wounded. With the cease-fire now broken, the United States has once again hit numerous Iranian civilian infrastructure sites, including bridges, health facilities, water desalination plants, sewage systems, and even residential areas.
It is more urgent now than ever that U.S. lawmakers and citizens demand accountability for potential war crimes such as the Minab bombing to ensure that similar tragedies do not occur again. This is also the only way for Washington to begin to repair its credibility and prioritize human rights in its foreign policy.
Read the entire op-ed in Foreign Policy.
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