Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Aragchi stated that Iranian officials and footballers are working together to protect the nation’s honor and dignity. He shared a social media post juxtaposing images of schoolgirls killed in a US-Israeli attack with a photo from the Football World Cup, emphasizing that every action by Iranians—from the football field to diplomatic talks and the battlefield—is part of a broader struggle to defend national pride.

Aragchi’s post came as mediators welcomed progress in US-Iran talks in Switzerland and as Iran drew its World Cup match against Belgium. The statement linked the country’s diplomatic and sporting efforts to a unified national cause.

Earlier, on February 28, a missile strike hit the Shajareh Tayyebah Girls School in Minab on the first day of the Iran-US war, killing about 160 people, mostly schoolgirls and teachers, according to the report.