China announced on Friday that it will donate $200,000 to the parents of pupils killed in an “indiscriminate” missile strike on a school in Iran early in the Middle East conflict.
Tehran has accused the US and Israel of carrying out the deadly missile attack on the school in Iran’s south on the first day of the conflict.
According to Iranian media accounts, funeral services were held for at least 165 persons killed in the strike, including children.
The toll was not independently verified. A US military inquiry into the strike is currently ongoing.
Beijing’s foreign ministry said the Chinese Red Cross Society will send $200,000 in emergency humanitarian help to the Iranian Red Crescent Society, primarily for “condolences and compensations” to the parents.
Ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun described the strike as a “severe violation” of international humanitarian law.
“Attacks on schools and children constitute a more severe violation of international humanitarian law and breach the bottom line of human conscience and morality,” Guo told reporters at a regular news briefing.
“China stands ready to continue providing necessary assistance to Iran in a humanitarian spirit to support the Iranian people through this difficult time,” he said.
According to the New York Times, the US military inquiry revealed that a US Tomahawk missile struck the school by accident.
Israel has denied any involvement or knowledge of the strike
The AFP has been unable to approach the spot to independently verify the circumstances of the attack or the toll.
US President Donald Trump first stated that Iran was to blame, despite the fact that Iran does not have Tomahawk missiles.
He later stated that he could “live with” whatever the inquiry uncovered, but when asked about the Times report on Wednesday, he replied, “I don’t know about it.”
