By Muhammad Mamman
Russia has called for accountability following a deadly strike on a girls’ school in southern Iran that reportedly killed around 170 people, most of them children, as tensions escalate over the incident.
The attack occurred on February 28 in the city of Minab, where a missile strike destroyed the Shajareh Tayyebeh girls’ school during the early stages of the ongoing conflict involving the United States and Iran. Iranian authorities say the majority of those killed were schoolgirls, with dozens more injured. 
Russia’s foreign ministry condemned the strike and urged a transparent international investigation, warning that those responsible must be held accountable if violations of international humanitarian law are confirmed.
“We expect a thorough and impartial investigation into this tragedy,” the ministry said in a statement, stressing that attacks on educational facilities and civilians are unacceptable under international law.
Iran has described the incident as a “war crime”, accusing the United States of deliberately targeting a civilian facility. Tehran says the school was functioning solely as an educational institution at the time of the strike. 
Preliminary investigations cited by US officials suggest American forces were likely responsible for the strike, though Washington has not issued a final determination and says a full military probe is ongoing. 
Human rights organisations and United Nations officials have also expressed concern over the incident, calling for a swift investigation and warning that attacks on schools and children could constitute serious violations of international humanitarian law. 
The strike has sparked global outrage and intensified diplomatic tensions, with several countries demanding answers about how a school full of children became a target during the escalating conflict.
