Iran has formally accused the United States of committing a “cowardly war crime” following a strike near a children’s cancer hospital, drawing parallels to Israel’s previous targeting of medical facilities in Gaza.
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei stated via X on Thursday that the “barbaric” attack necessitated the emergency evacuation of 211 patients undergoing chemotherapy from the Shahid Baghaei Specialised Hospital in the southwestern city of Ahvaz.
Medical staff at the facility described the blast as “intense” and occurring so close to the building that staff feared the hospital had been directly hit.
“This barbaric attack, reminiscent of Israel’s atrocities against healthcare facilities, caused severe suffering and anxiety upon the hospitalised children, and forced the emergency evacuation,” Baghaei said. “This constitutes a cowardly war crime against the most innocent of human beings – children who are bravely fighting for their lives.”
Dr. Majid Bou’azar, the hospital’s manager, confirmed to Al Jazeera that the 211 patients were forced to relocate due to the strikes. A hospital staff member noted the high vulnerability of the patients, stating that many were on oxygen or ventilators, while others were in wheelchairs or required IV assistance.
Hospital Director Reza Bazar previously indicated that recent US strikes on Ahvaz have rendered the facility unable to function, according to the Fars news agency.
The recent escalations have intensified fears that the conflict could spiral further, potentially obstructing efforts to reach a negotiated settlement for the war, which began nearly five months ago.
‘Bitter memory’ of Minab attack
While the US has not commented on the specific strike near the hospital, it confirmed launching another wave of attacks on Iran on Thursday. In response, Tehran announced it had targeted US military sites in Jordan and Kuwait, leaving Gulf leaders on high alert regarding potential catastrophic escalation.
President Donald Trump has threatened strikes on Iranian power plants and bridges next week if Tehran does not return to negotiations. Iran has warned it will retaliate by targeting civilian infrastructure in neighboring Gulf nations, an act that would violate international law.
Baghaei criticized what he termed a “double standard,” where nations in the Global South are expected to follow international law while those in the Global North threaten to commit war crimes. “Those who ceaselessly preach human rights, yet deliberately turn a blind eye to the targeting of hospitals and health centres, have forfeited every shred of moral credibility,” he remarked.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi echoed these sentiments on Telegram, accusing Washington of “war crimes” and describing the attacks on civilian infrastructure as a “flagrant violation of the United Nations Charter and the fundamental principles of international law.”
Tehran has also faced accusations regarding its own adherence to the laws of war. Saudi Arabia has labeled Iranian strikes in Bahrain, Jordan, and Kuwait as “treacherous.” Although Iran maintains it only targets US military assets, evidence suggests some strikes have damaged civilian infrastructure in the Gulf.
Reporting from Tehran, Al Jazeera’s Resul Serdar noted that Iranian officials report 17 hospitals have been severely damaged during the current conflict and the previous conflict in June of last year.
“This hospital [in Ahvaz] was designed for children with cancer, so an attack in the vicinity of this hospital is reminding Iranians of the bitter memory of the Minab primary school,” Serdar said, referencing a US and Israeli bombing of a southern Iranian school that killed at least 168 children on the first day of the war.
With evidence suggesting US responsibility for the Ahvaz strike, Democratic senators are currently pressuring the Trump administration to release the results of an investigation within the coming week.
Amnesty International has also concluded that Washington was responsible for the strike, labeling it as either “a shameful intelligence failure” or “a reckless and indiscriminate attack.”