A plane carrying Iran’s delegation to US-Iran talks in Islamabad, Pakistan, paid tribute to the Minab school strike victims by filling passenger seats with photos and belongings of all those who lost their lives after the US and Israel launched their war on Iran on February 28. On Saturday, shortly before the scheduled talks, Iranian state media circulated images of the “Minab-168” flight, which has been named after over 160 children and teachers killed in the recent school attack.

Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf also posted a photo from the flight bound for Pakistan on social media. “My companions on this flight #Minab168,” he wrote alongside the photo of himself looking at the children’s photos and belongings.

What is Minab 168?

The Iranian delegation, led by Ghalibaf, named the flight “Minab 168,” alluding to more than 160 children killed during attack on the Shajareh Tayyibeh girls’ elementary school in the southern Iranian town of Minab on the first day of the US-Israeli strikes on the West Asian country.

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The flight pictured in the visuals shared by Iranian state media and officials carried a harrowing reminder of the devastating toll of the ongoing war. Stark images show blood-stained school bags, shoes, flowers, and other such memorabilia placed in the front row of the aircraft.

The Iranian Embassy in South Africa re-shared the image, adding, “We will never forget the children of Minab.”

In late March, marking roughly a month after the school bombing, the Iranian men’s national team wore black armbands and posed with school bags as the national anthem played before a match with Nigeria, honouring the victims of the Minab girls’ school attack.

Blatantly accusing the US of being responsible for the attack, Iran also recently publicly named-dropped two American Navy officials: Leigh R Tate, commanding officer, and Jeffrey E York, executive officer of the USS Spruance. Amplifying its accusations against the United States, the Iranian Embassies in India, South Africa, and Nigeria released images of the officers in X posts, alleging that they authorised the missile attack on multiple occasions.

“Remember these two criminals. Leigh R Tate, the commander, and Jeffrey E York, the executive officer of the USS Spruance, who ordered the launch of Tomahawk missiles three times, killing 168 innocent children at a school in Minab,” the Iranian Embassy in India said in a post on X.

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As part of their efforts to honour the memories of the students martyred in the tragedy, Tehran recently marked the 40th day of their martyrdom through a conceptual art installation featuring 2,000 red butterflies and crimson pages. Organized by the Centre of Islamic Architectural Arts of the Bureau of Islamic Ideology Dissemination Organization, the project, titled the “Minab Martyr Children Memorial,” was unveiled at the ruins of Minab’s Shajareh Tayyebeh Elementary School.

US-Iranian delegations arrive in Pakistan for talks

According to state media Tasnim’s report, Iran’s delegation to Islamabad consists of 71 people, including negotiators, experts, media representatives, and security personnel. Led by parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, the delegation also includes Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi.

Ahead of the talks, Ghalibaf told Iran’s state media that while they have goodwill, they don’t trust their American counterparts. “Unfortunately, our experience of negotiating with the Americans has always ended in failure and violations of commitments,” he said.

On the other hand, the US delegation led by Vice President JD Vance will also include special envoy Steve Witkoff and President Donald Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner.