‘My companions on this flight’: Iran commemorates Pakistan trip and pays tribute to Minab school strike victims

Photos of children killed in the Minab incident were placed on seats on an Iranian government flight to Islamabad on Friday, a symbolic move that turned the high-level delegation’s journey into a stark visual statement ahead of crucial peace talks.In a social media post shared by Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, who shared the image on social media, he called the pictures and roses placed on the bag his “flying companions.”In the image shared on X, he can be seen looking at photos of his children as well as their personal belongings.A delegation led by Qalibaf and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi is in Pakistan for key talks aimed at stabilizing the fragile regional ceasefire framework. Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Speaker of the National Assembly Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, Chief of Army Staff Marshal Asim Munir and Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi welcomed the delegation at the airport.The symbolism comes as Iran continues to lay out its conditions ahead of talks, including the release of frozen assets and broader ceasefire pledges in the region. Iranian officials also expressed doubts about the talks, with Qalibaf repeating on arrival that past negotiations with the United States “always failed and broke promises,” although he said Tehran still had goodwill but “no trust.”The talks in Islamabad come amid continued U.S. efforts to stabilize regional tensions after a recently announced ceasefire, even as violence continues in parts of the Middle East, including attacks in southern Lebanon and retaliatory firing involving Hezbollah.Pakistan described the talks as a “make or break” moment, with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif warning that the outcome could determine whether a fragile lull in hostilities holds or collapses amid competing demands.Despite the strong diplomatic momentum, major differences remain between the two sides, particularly over sanctions relief, regional security arrangements and control of strategic waterways such as the Strait of Hormuz.

Minab school strike

Minab An alleged precision airstrike targeted a primary school in Minab, which was reportedly damaged in a coordinated strike targeting a nearby Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) naval facility on the first day of Operation Epic Fury. The school is located near a military base that came under attack, according to multiple media reports and satellite-based analysis, and conflicting accounts suggest either the attack on the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps base caused collateral damage or was mistargeted. The attack, which reportedly killed at least 165 people, including students, has not been independently confirmed as a deliberate attack on the school. U.S. and Israeli officials have not officially claimed responsibility for the attack, while saying they were reviewing reports of civilian casualties.However, Iran directly blamed the United States. Last month, Iranian authorities named U.S. Navy officer Leigh R. Tate and USS Spruance executive officer Jeffrey E. York, saying they ordered the launch of multiple Tomahawk missiles that struck a school and killed 168 civilians, including children. Tehran has repeatedly described the attack as a U.S.-Israeli operation, while Israel has denied involvement.U.S. media reports, including the New York Times, pointed to U.S. attacks on naval facilities near the Strait of Hormuz as a possible backdrop for the operation, while Canadian Broadcasting Corporation News said satellite imagery and video analysis showed the school was damaged in precision strikes on military installations near buildings. Meanwhile, a preliminary U.S. military assessment reportedly raised the possibility of targeting errors in operations targeting infrastructure linked to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.