Thousands gathered in central Tehran to mourn the children killed in an airstrike on a girls’ elementary school in the southern city of Minab, an attack that coincided with the killing of Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, on February 28. The funeral prayers, held at the Grand Mosalla religious center on July 5, drew families of the victims alongside senior Iranian officials, marking one of the largest public gatherings since the outbreak of the conflict.
The strike on the Minab school resulted in the deaths of at least 175 civilians, predominantly students, in what Iranian authorities and witnesses attribute to a U.S. missile attack during the first day of the ongoing U.S.-Israeli conflict with Iran. The United States has neither acknowledged responsibility nor publicly shared the findings of its investigation into the incident, despite Pentagon statements that an inquiry was launched.
Families from Hormozgan province, where Minab is located, traveled hundreds of miles to attend the mourning events in Tehran. Many expressed grief and outrage, viewing the children’s deaths as emblematic of the broader toll of violence they attribute to U.S. and Israeli military actions. The victims are commemorated in Tehran by installations at public spaces, including the capital’s international airport, featuring symbolic items such as backpacks and children’s shoes alongside portraits and school memorabilia.
The funeral was notably attended by key figures including Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps commander Ahmad Vahidi, and other high-ranking officials, underscoring the state's consolidation and resolve following months of military confrontations. Mojtaba Khamenei, the supreme leader’s son and designated successor, did not appear publicly for the prayers, reportedly due to security concerns.
During the ceremony, Ayatollah Jafar Sobhani, a member of the Council of Experts responsible for selecting the supreme leader’s successor, led the prayers. The gathering included chants calling for revenge, particularly directed at Vahidi, highlighting the tenor of frustration and a desire for retribution among mourners.
Minab, a strategic town housing major military installations near the crucial port city of Bandar Abbas, has seen increased local support for the government in the wake of the strike. Residents say the attack reinforced loyalty to the regime among previously critical segments of the population.
Khamenei’s body is scheduled to be transported following the conclusion of the public viewing on July 6. The casket will be taken on a lengthy procession throughout Tehran before being flown to Qom, one of Iran’s religious centers, then to the Iraqi pilgrimage cities of Najaf and Karbala, and finally interred in Mashhad, his hometown in eastern Iran.
As the funeral events continue, the deaths in Minab have become a powerful symbol in Iran of civilian suffering attributed to the ongoing U.S.-Israeli military campaign, galvanizing both public mourning and nationalist sentiment.