New Delhi: India on Friday (March 27) expressed “profound grief” over the killing of more than 160 people, mostly schoolgirls, in a missile strike on a girls’ school in an Iranian city, an attack that Iran and several investigations have said was likely carried out by the US.The strike hit the Shajareh Tayyebeh Girls’ School on the first day of the US and Israeli military operations against Iran on February 28, flattening the building and killing scores of children.Iran has blamed the US for the attack, a claim backed by multiple independent investigations by international media and research groups, which have cited satellite imagery, video analysis and missile debris to conclude that a US Tomahawk cruise missile likely struck the area.Preliminary findings from a US military probe have also indicated that American forces were likely responsible, though the investigation has not been formally concluded.India’s statement was delivered by its permanent representative to the UN in Geneva during an urgent debate at the UN Human Rights Council on the Minab attack.“India expresses profound grief over the loss of precious lives due to the attack on the Shajareh Tayyebeh girls’ school in Minab,” ambassador Arindam Bagchi said.He said the incident underscored the need to ensure that civilian infrastructure is not targeted in armed conflict.“This tragedy underlines, once again, the urgent need to ensure that schools, hospitals, energy and other civilian infrastructure are never targets in situations of armed conflict,” he said.Bagchi also reiterated India’s broader position on the situation in West Asia, calling for restraint and a return to diplomacy. He said India had consistently urged all sides to avoid escalation and prioritise civilian safety, while stressing that all issues must be addressed through peaceful means with respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity.The urgent debate was convened following a request by Iran, China and Cuba. The US and Israel were not present at the debate, having withdrawn from the Council.Friday’s remarks mark only the second time that New Delhi has publicly reacted to the killings of the Iranian schoolgirls. At a weekly briefing on March 12, external affairs ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal had first said India “regret[s] the precious lives lost and express[es] our grief in that regard”, while underlining the need to prioritise civilian safety.The Human Rights Council held a separate session on March 25 focusing on Iran’s strikes on Gulf states and Jordan, where India similarly called for restraint and the protection of civilian infrastructure.India’s statements come amid a broader effort to re-caliberate its position in the conflict. New Delhi has avoided directly criticising the US and Israel since the war began with their strikes on Iran, even as it has repeatedly stressed restraint and the protection of civilians.At the same time, disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz, a critical route for India’s energy supplies, have sharpened its engagement with Tehran, which is giving permission to select ships to pass through the waterway.