Iran’s Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Ghalibaf arrived in Islamabad on Friday, accompanied in spirit by the “Angels of Minab,” to participate in high-profile talks with the United States. Paying tribute to the martyrs of the Shajareh Tayyebeh elementary school in Minab, the speaker of the Islamic Republic wrote on X, “My companions on this flight.”
Dozens of girls gathered at the Shajareh Tayyebeh school in Minab, southern Iran, on Saturday morning, February 28, when Israel and the United States launched initial strikes on the country. While students began their lessons, missiles struck the school, destroying the building and causing the roof to collapse onto the children and teachers.
Iranian authorities reported the final death toll as 168, with most of the victims being girls aged between 7 and 12. Additionally, at least 95 other individuals were injured in the attack.
Iran blamed the US and Israel for deliberately bombing a school in Minab and has called on the UN Human Rights Council to condemn the deadly attack.
A preliminary US military probe suggests the strike was a targeting error stemming from outdated intelligence, which conflicts with earlier statements by President Donald Trump. Initial findings indicate that a Tomahawk missile hit the school because the site was misclassified as part of an Iranian naval base.
Earlier, upon reaching the capital, Ghalibaf and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi were officially received by Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar, National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, and Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi.
Dar expressed hope that all parties would engage constructively and reiterated Pakistan’s commitment to facilitating efforts toward a lasting and durable resolution of the conflict.
Islamabad is currently hosting multiple foreign delegations arriving for the high-profile talks between Iran and the United States, prompting stringent security measures across the capital. According to sources, Gulf countries, China, and Russia are also expected to participate in the negotiations as observers.