Iran seeks debate at UN rights body over fatal school strike, letter shows

GENEVA, March 24 (Reuters) - Iran has requested an urgent debate at the U.N. Human Rights Council on the fatal air strike on a primary school on the first day of the U.S.-Israeli attacks on Iran, a letter showed on Tuesday.

"A strike on a functioning school during class hours represents a grave assault on children, on education, and on the future of the entire community," Iran's ambassador to the U.N. in Geneva, Ali Bahreini, said in a letter to the council president dated March 23.

The attack on the Shajareh ​Tayyebeh School consisted of two missile strikes ​in quick succession that killed 168 children, mostly ⁠girls, Iranian officials say.

Reuters ​reported on March 5 that U.S. military investigators believe it ​is likely that U.S. forces were responsible but have not yet reached a final conclusion or completed their investigation. The Pentagon ​has since elevated the probe.

Gulf states have made a parallel request for a meeting of the same Geneva-based council over Iran's strikes on civilians and energy infrastructure across the Middle East. That debate will take place on Wednesday.