A local resident has voiced outrage over the deadly U.S.-Israeli airstrike on a girls' school in the southern Iranian city of Minab, which reportedly killed more than 100 people.
The latest information obtained by a correspondent from China Media Group in Iran indicated that the death toll from the strike on the school had risen to 118. Meanwhile, local media reported on Saturday that up to 160 people could have been killed, citing Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on Saturday condemned the airstrikes in a statement, calling the strikes "inhumane", his office said.
Pezeshkian also urged all relief and medical centers and relevant officials in the region to prioritize the "immediate and uninterrupted care" of the injured and their families by mobilizing all resources.
"Did you see this? Israel is once again proving its crimes to the world. The world must see these images. The world must know the truth. This is a child's textbook. The children are buried beneath the rubble and they were all civilians. They came here for school this morning. Israel is proving its crimes to the world again. Look, this book is stained with the students' blood," said a local resident.
The United States and Israel on Saturday launched strikes against Iran, plunging the war-torn Middle East into a new round of violent conflicts.
Iran has retaliated with a series of counterattacks against Israel and U.S. targets across the region, with explosions reported in Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, and Saudi Arabia.
The latest flare-up came after the United States and Iran wrapped up their third round of indirect talks earlier this week and agreed to resume negotiations next week.
Local resident voices outrage over deadly US-Israeli strike on girls' school in Iran
In a letter to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and the Security Council on Saturday, Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi urged the United Nations, particularly the Security Council, to take immediate action to halt "the illegal use of force" by the United States and Israel against Iran.
In the letter, Araghchi said that on Saturday, the U.S. and Israel blatantly violated Iran's national sovereignty and territorial integrity by launching attacks on defensive installations and civilian sites across multiple Iranian cities. He characterized these actions as a clear violation of the UN Charter and an unmistakable armed aggression against Iran.
In response to this aggressive act, Araghchi emphasized that Iran reserves its inherent and legal right to self-defense under Article 51 of the UN Charter, and that the Armed Forces of Iran will utilize all necessary defensive capabilities and measures to counter this "criminal aggression".
The letter warned that all bases, facilities, and assets of hostile forces in the region should be considered legitimate military targets within the scope of Iran's lawful exercise of its right to self-defense.
The United States and Israel, it added, should bear full and direct responsibility for all consequences arising from their actions, including any escalation of tensions.
Citing the serious and far-reaching impact of this armed aggression on regional and international peace and security, Iran called on the UN Secretary-General and Security Council members to take immediate action. Araghchi also called for an urgent convening of a Security Council emergency session to take necessary and immediate measures to halt the illegal use of force and hold the aggressors accountable.
Iran also appealed to all UN member states to strongly condemn this act of aggression.
At least 201 people were killed and 747 others injured in the U.S.-Israel joint strikes on Iran, the Iranian Red Crescent Society reported Saturday night, adding that at least 24 of Iran's 31 provinces were affected by the attacks.
Iran urges UN to halt US, Israeli military actions
