Baghaei: Children Are the Primary Victims of War

Esmaeil Baghaei described innocent children as the first and most vulnerable victims of war, adding: "Some fall victim to bullets, bombs, and missiles, while others live out their lives bearing the physical and psychological scars of war, or carrying the heavy grief of losing their parents and loved ones."

Referring to the martyred students of the "Shajareh Tayyebah" school in Minab, he remarked: "Today, we gather to honor the memory of children whose bodies rest in the earth, but whose souls have achieved immortality. Though their lives were short, the impact of their presence remains so deeply embedded in the Iranian psyche that it has become an integral part of our nation’s collective memory."

The Foreign Ministry Spokesperson highlighted the attacks during the imposed war, asserting: "Minab was only one example of hundreds of crimes committed by the United States and Israel against the Iranian people."

He further noted: "On that very same day, the Lamerd region in Fars Province witnessed the deployment of a deadly weapon—a cluster bomb that, upon detonation, scattered hundreds of thousands of lethal shrapnel pieces across the area."

Baghaei emphasized that what unites the people of a land are their shared memories, sufferings, hopes, and collective dreams, adding that forgetting these memories would mean losing a piece of a nation's identity.

The senior Iranian diplomat pointed out that the martyred children of Minab's Shajareh Tayyebah school are not merely names on a historical list, but are symbols of innocence and a bitter reminder that the most defenseless humans pay the heaviest price in conflicts and wars.

"Remembering the names and memories of these children is a reminder of human dignity and every child's right to live, learn, dream, and build a decent future—a right that must never fall victim to warmongering and ambition," he said.

Stressing the importance of preserving a nation's historical memory, the spokesperson added that peace and security are not self-evident blessings, but are rather the results of heavy sacrifices and costs paid by previous generations.

Turning to the plight of children globally, Baghaei stated: "Today, the world needs to hear the voices of children more than ever. Across every corner of the globe, countless children fall victim to war, violence, poverty, deprivation, and injustice, and this issue is not confined solely to developing nations."

He added: "Just as the Epstein tragedy unfolded in the heart of the developed world, similar instances are occurring far from the gaze of public opinion."

The senior Iranian diplomat concluded: "When we speak the names of the children of Minab’s Shajareh Tayyebah school, we are in fact speaking of all children whose chance at life was stolen, or who bear inner wounds that will stay with them for years. Remembering them reminds all societies of our shared responsibility to protect children's rights and strive toward building a safer, more just world for them."/isna