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Iranian Parents Appeal to Pope After Deadly School Bombing
MINAB, Iran – According to Iranian state media, the parents of children killed in a bombing of a school in Minab have written a letter to Pope Leo XIV, thanking him for his calls for peace and urging him to continue speaking for the "voiceless."
The bombing, which destroyed the school, is reported by The New York Times to have likely been a US military error, as the school was located near a military target.
"We are the fathers and mothers of 168 children who, these days, instead of hugging the warm bodies of our children, are clutching their burnt bags and bloody notebooks to our chests."
Writing via the Iranian state news agency IRNA, the parents described the anguish of their loss. The letter states:
"We are the fathers and mothers of 168 children who, these days, instead of hugging the warm bodies of our children, are clutching their burnt bags and bloody notebooks to our chests; innocent children whose only crime was smiling in the classroom."
In their plea to the Pope, the parents highlighted the emotional solace they have found in his public stance. The letter adds that the Pope's words of peace have been "a balm for our endless wounds."
Pope Leo XIV has publicly called for peace in the region and has previously clashed with President Donald Trump on related issues.