Families of Minab school victims urge Pope Leo to be ‘voice of their children’ 

Families of Minab’s school victims have called upon Pope Leo XIV to be “the voice of their voiceless children” and use his influence to press world powers for the opening of “all paths of dialogue” in the pursuit of lasting peace.

In a letter addressed to the pontiff, a number of the families of the schoolchildren, who were killed on the first day of the joint US-Israeli military aggression against Iran, said his message of peace has “offered a healing touch to our broken hearts.”

The school massacre occurred on February 28, when a US military attack using Tomahawk missiles struck Shajare Tayyebe Elementary School in Iran’s southern city of Minab, killing more than 170 children and teachers.

The signatories described the crime as “a direct result of the provocation and support of senseless warmongers who unleashed destruction upon our innocent children.”

Ayatollah Sistani dispatches delegation to Minab school for reconstruction efforts

Ayatollah Sayyed Ali al-Sistani has dispatched a delegation to Iran to offer condolences and attend to the families of those martyred in the US-Israeli attack on a school in Minab County.

“Today, instead of feeling the warmth of our children’s embrace, we are left to hold onto their charred bags and bloody journals,” the letter said.

“Our children will never return home to build a brighter future, but it is the prayer of us grieving parents that your message to 'lay down the weapons' be heard, at a time when the United States and the Israeli regime fuel the flames of these atrocities with their excessive demands,” it stated.

They appealed to the Pope to be “the voice for our voiceless children” and, through his enlightening words, help create a world where no parent “is ever forced to whisper a nightly lullaby over the cold gravestone of their child.”

The signatories also expressed gratitude to the Pope for having reminded the whole world through his message that lasting peace would be achieved “not through force and weapons, but through the path of dialogue.”

The 70-year-old pontiff has issued consistent calls for peace and dialogue, and has denounced the use of religious justification for war.

Specifically, he called US President Donald Trump’s threat to annihilate Iranian civilization “truly unacceptable.”

Trump insulted the pontiff in a message on his Truth Social, saying the Pope is “weak on crime.”

Pope Leo, however, said later that he will continue to speak out against war and preach peace, regardless of political pressure.

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