TEHRAN – Iran's Minister of Cultural Heritage, Tourism and Handicrafts, Seyyed Reza Salehi-Amiri, has emphasized the necessity of a scientific and narrative-driven approach for the establishment of the Minab School Martyrs Museum within the Saadabad Palace Cultural-Historical Complex, calling for it to become a global platform against atrocities committed against children.

Speaking at a specialized working group meeting on Saturday, Salehi-Amiri outlined the strategic vision for the project, asserting that the museum must transcend traditional exhibition formats. He noted that multiple specialized scenarios have been developed for its design, all rooted in expert, scientific, and professional analysis, CHTN reported. 

The minister stressed that the museum’s core mission is to introduce the new generation, students, and the global public to the tragic dimensions of the Minab school tragedy through a human, maternal, and educational lens. "The world must know, and never forget, that the United States—with full awareness of the site’s non-military nature—targeted a school filled with students," Salehi-Amiri stated. He added that such an act remains unjustifiable under any human, ethical, or legal framework.

To ensure the authenticity of the narrative, the minister proposed that teachers and students from the Minab school itself take part in the storytelling process. This would allow visitors to confront the reality of the tragedy through a tangible and emotional perspective, fostering a deep sense of empathy and understanding, he added. 

Highlighting the social impact of the project, Salehi-Amiri identified students, teachers, and families as the primary audience. "This social demographic accounts for over half of Iran's population, providing a vast cultural platform to establish a lasting movement," he said. He insisted that every element of the museum—from spatial design to displayed artifacts and narratives—must be meticulously tailored to resonate with the youth.

The minister concluded by emphasizing that the museum should focus on powerful concepts such as "Martyr," "Child," "School," and "Mother." By using a maternal and pedagogical language, he believes the Minab School Martyrs Museum can evolve into a permanent and influential global cultural movement, exposing organized violence against children in the contemporary era.

On February 28, the Shajareh Tayyebeh girls' elementary school in Minab, Hormozgan province, became the site of a devastating massacre as the United States and Israel initiated their strikes against Iran. 

While dozens of girls and boys aged between 7 and 12 were beginning their lessons, the school was targeted by a missile strike that caused the building to collapse, trapping children and teachers beneath the rubble. Iranian authorities confirmed a final death toll of 168 people, with at least 95 others wounded, marking one of the most harrowing incidents of the conflict's opening day.

Despite attempts by US and Israeli authorities to distance themselves from the carnage as images of the tragedy spread across social media, detailed forensic and digital investigations have painted a starkly different picture. 

An analysis by Al Jazeera’s digital investigations unit, utilizing over a decade of satellite imagery and recent video clips, revealed that the school was a clearly distinct civilian facility, separated from any adjacent military sites for at least ten years. Furthermore, witness accounts and satellite-based analyses confirmed that the school was triple tapped by three separate, deliberate strikes, leaving no doubt about the nature of the attack.

The international community has faced mounting evidence regarding the responsibility for this atrocity, with investigations from major global outlets including The New York Times, BBC Verify, CBC, and NPR all concluding that the United States was responsible for the strike. 

These findings have raised fundamental questions about the intelligence used to justify the bombing, as the patterns of the strike suggest a direct targeting of a civilian educational institution. The Minab school tragedy now stands as a somber testament to the immense human cost of the aggression and a focal point for those demanding international accountability.

SAB/