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A UN Fact-Finding Mission Says There Are "Reasonable Grounds" to Believe the United States Committed War Crimes in Iran — Including the Strike on a Girls' Elementary School in Minab That Killed About 120 Children — Six Months After Trump Said "That Was Done by Iran" and the Pentagon's Own Investigation Stayed Secret

On September 17, 2026, the independent international fact-finding mission on Iran, commissioned by the UN Human Rights Council, reported that it had found "reasonable grounds" to believe the United States committed war crimes in two strikes during the opening of the February 2026 war — a pair of attacks the mission says killed at least 178 civilians. The central finding concerns the February 28 strike on the Shajareh Tayyebeh elementary school in the southern city of Minab, where Iranian officials say about 120 schoolchildren, most of them girls between 7 and 12, were among roughly 168 to 175 people killed. The mission concluded the strike was an indiscriminate attack causing loss of civilian life, amounting to a war crime under international law. The same report accuses Iran's government of crimes against humanity in its crackdown on anti-government protesters. The finding lands on a question US officials have refused to answer for six months. On March 7, aboard Air Force One, President Trump blamed Iran for the school bombing without evidence — "No, in my opinion, based on what I've seen, that was done by Iran" — while Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, standing nearby, declined to echo him, saying only "We're certainly investigating." Open-source analysts identified a US Tomahawk cruise missile in footage of the strike; the US is the only combatant in the war that fields Tomahawks. A preliminary US assessment reportedly found the United States "likely" responsible but not deliberately targeting the school. Congress has pressed for the Pentagon's findings all year without success. In March, Tim Kaine led more than 40 senators demanding a "swift investigation"; in July, Kirsten Gillibrand led 24 colleagues demanding the Department release the investigation it reportedly completed in April. As of the report's publication, the White House, State Department and Pentagon had not responded to requests for comment, and the Pentagon investigation remains unreleased. Stances below are relative to the finding of US responsibility and the demand for public accountability: "support" marks officials pressing for the investigation and its release, "oppose" marks officials attributing the strike elsewhere or resisting the accounting.

Congressional War Powers Debate Over Iran

As the U.S.-Israel war on Iran approaches its 60-day mark — the limit set by the 1973 War Powers Resolution before continued hostilities require congressional authorization — senators from both parties have pushed war powers resolutions to force a vote. The Senate has defeated three such resolutions in 53-47 votes since the war began on February 28, 2026, with Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) the lone Republican consistently voting in favor. Sen. John Curtis (R-UT) drew a line in an April 1 op-ed: "60 days must mean 60 days."

“I want to see us achieve our objective in Iran. And then I want to see us get out. [Otherwise I'll] jump up and say that's it, it's one second past 60 days, everybody come home.”

Trump Feuds With Pope Leo XIV Over Iran War and Immigration

An escalating clash between President Trump and Pope Leo XIV — the first American-born pope — has emerged as one of the defining conflicts of 2026. The feud spans two fronts: Leo's condemnation of the Iran war (calling Trump's threats "truly unacceptable" and denouncing a "delusion of omnipotence") and his criticism of mass deportation policies as "extremely disrespectful." Trump responded with an extraordinary broadside, calling Leo "very liberal," "weak on crime," and "terrible for foreign policy," and claiming "If I wasn't in the White House, Leo wouldn't be in the Vatican." The Vatican canceled a planned 250th anniversary visit over foreign policy disagreements.

“I was taken a little bit aback, just honestly, frankly, by something that he said about those who engage in war, that Jesus doesn't hear their prayers. There's something called the just war doctrine. There's a time to every purpose under heaven. I'm not one to criticize clerics — a pontiff or any religious leader can say anything they want. But obviously if you wade into political waters, I think you should expect some political response, and I think the pope's received some of that. These are matters that people of good faith and good sense can debate and think through.”

US-Iran Peace Talks in Islamabad

On April 11, 2026, the United States and Iran held their first direct face-to-face negotiations in 47 years in Islamabad, Pakistan — the highest-level meeting since 1979. After 21 hours of marathon talks, Vice President Vance announced no deal was reached, citing Iran's refusal to commit to not developing nuclear weapons. Key sticking points included control of the Strait of Hormuz, Iran's frozen assets, the enrichment question, and whether Lebanon is covered by the ceasefire. Trump responded to the collapse by ordering a U.S. Navy blockade of the Strait of Hormuz. The Iranian delegation arrived dressed in black, mourning late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

“Effective immediately, the United States Navy, the Finest in the World, will begin the process of BLOCKADING any and all Ships trying to enter, or leave, the Strait of Hormuz. I have also instructed our Navy to seek and interdict every vessel in International Waters that has paid a toll to Iran.”

Iran-US Ceasefire Unraveling Within Hours

The two-week ceasefire announced April 7, 2026 began breaking down almost immediately. Iran's parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf accused the U.S. of violating three of Iran's 10 conditions: Israel continued striking Hezbollah in Lebanon (which Iran considers covered by the truce), Trump publicly denied Iran's claim that the framework permits uranium enrichment, and "an intruding drone" was destroyed in Fars Province. Iran responded by closing the Strait of Hormuz again. The U.S. denied that Lebanon was included in the ceasefire and demanded the Strait be reopened immediately. Saudi Arabia, UAE, Kuwait, Bahrain, and Qatar all reported missile and drone attacks within hours of the agreement.

“Iran must IMMEDIATELY reopen the Strait of Hormuz. The ceasefire was conditioned on this. Any closure is a violation, and the United States will respond accordingly. The Strait must remain open for all commercial traffic, no exceptions.”

US-Iran Two-Week Ceasefire (Pakistan-Brokered)

On April 7, 2026 — less than two hours before President Trump's deadline to "annihilate" Iran — the U.S. and Iran agreed to a two-week ceasefire brokered by Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. The deal is built on a 10-point Iranian peace proposal, with talks to begin in Islamabad on April 10. The ceasefire was almost immediately complicated: the Farsi version of Iran's plan includes "acceptance of enrichment" while the English version omits it; Pakistan said Lebanon is included while Netanyahu insists it is not, with Israel launching its largest wave of strikes on Hezbollah hours into the truce; and explosions hit Iranian oil sites at Lavan and Sirri Islands the same day.

“There will be no enrichment of Uranium, and the United States will, working with Iran, dig up and remove all of the deeply buried (B-2 Bombers) Nuclear 'Dust.' None of the material has been touched since the June attacks.”

Trump Threatens 'Whole Civilization Will Die' in Iran Ultimatum

On April 7, 2026, hours before his 8 p.m. ET deadline for Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, President Trump posted on Truth Social that "a whole civilization will die tonight, never to be brought back again." The threat — his most extreme public rhetoric of the Iran war — drew condemnation from Democrats calling for the 25th Amendment, criticism from some Republicans, and accusations of a threat to commit genocide from Amnesty International. Iran called the statement "a sign of ignorance."

“A whole civilization will die tonight, never to be brought back again. I don't want that to happen, but it probably will.”

Trump's Easter Threat to Bomb Iran's Civilian Infrastructure

On Easter Sunday morning, April 5, 2026, President Trump posted an expletive-laden ultimatum on Truth Social threatening to bomb Iran's power plants and bridges if the Strait of Hormuz was not reopened by Tuesday, writing "Open the F***in' Strait, you crazy bastards, or you'll be living in Hell" and signing off "Praise be to Allah." The post drew condemnation from across the political spectrum, with former ally Marjorie Taylor Greene declaring Trump "has gone insane" and Senator Bernie Sanders calling it "the ravings of a dangerous and mentally unbalanced individual."

“He's not wrong. Let's put it like that. Opening the Strait is not just good for the United States, but it's good for Europe and so many other countries. It's an ongoing operation, and if he needs leverage, he's using that leverage. The infrastructure in question is being used by the military, there's no doubt.”

25th Amendment and Impeachment Calls Over Trump's Iran Threats

President Trump's escalating rhetoric — from his profanity-laced Easter post threatening to bomb civilian infrastructure to his April 7 declaration that "a whole civilization will die tonight" — triggered an unprecedented wave of calls for his removal. Over 85 House Democrats called for impeachment or the 25th Amendment. Rep. John Larson filed 13 articles of impeachment. Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi urged the Cabinet to invoke the 25th Amendment. The push extended beyond Democrats: former ally Marjorie Taylor Greene posted "25TH AMENDMENT!!!" and called Trump "insane," Tucker Carlson called the threats "a war crime, a moral crime," and Alex Jones floated invoking the amendment. Despite the bipartisan criticism, removal remains unlikely with Republicans controlling both chambers and no signs of Cabinet cooperation.

“25th Amendment. Impeachment. I will support any avenue to remove Donald Trump from office. Congress needs to get back in session now to stop this war.”

Hegseth's War Prayer and the Pope's Rebuke

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth led a Pentagon prayer service on March 26, 2026, praying for "overwhelming violence of action" and asking that "every round find its mark against the enemies of righteousness" in the name of Jesus Christ. Pope Leo XIV responded on Palm Sunday, declaring that God "does not listen to the prayers of those who wage war." The confrontation escalated when the Pentagon excluded Catholics from Good Friday services. Archbishop Timothy Broglio, the military's top Catholic leader, declared on Face the Nation that the Iran war does not meet Catholic just war criteria.

“It's a little bit problematic in the sense that the Lord Jesus certainly brought a message of peace and also, I think war is always a last resort. It's hard to cast this war as something that would be sponsored by the Lord.”