Funerals have taken place in the southern Iranian city of Minab for the students and staff members killed in a missile strike on a girls’ school. According to Iranian authorities, the attack was carried out by missiles launched by the United States and Israel, resulting in over 160 fatalities on the morning of March 2, 2024. The school, located approximately 600 meters from a base belonging to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, was reportedly occupied due to Iran’s six-day working week, which runs from Saturday to Thursday.
The funeral processions drew hundreds of mourners, with state television broadcasting scenes of grief as coffins draped in the national flag were carried through the streets. A narrator described the heartache of parents mourning their daughters. In response to the incident, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian condemned the strike as a “barbaric act,” marking it as “another black page in the record of countless crimes committed by the aggressors.”
In a pointed statement, Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi shared an image on social media depicting rows of freshly dug graves, criticizing the promises made by former US President Donald Trump regarding security in the region.
The US military is currently reviewing reports of the incident. In statements released to the media, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio emphasized that the United States would not intentionally target a school, asserting, “The US would not deliberately target a school. We would have no interest, and frankly, no incentive to target civilian infrastructure.”
A spokesperson for the United States Central Command added, “We take these reports seriously. The protection of civilians is of utmost importance, and we will continue to take all precautions available to minimize the risk of unintended harm.”
Footage from the aftermath of the strike shows plumes of smoke rising from the damaged building, with crowds gathering nearby, and some individuals heard screaming in distress. However, independent reporting from the region remains limited, as international news organizations face visa restrictions in Iran.
As the situation continues to develop, the Iranian government has called for accountability from those it holds responsible for the attack. The international community is closely monitoring the developments, as tensions in the region escalate following this tragic event.
