Amid heightened tensions between the United States and Iran, diplomatic talks scheduled in Islamabad, Pakistan, have taken an emotionally charged turn. A high-level Iranian delegation led by Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf arrived in Islamabad early Saturday to participate in discussions aimed at easing growing geopolitical friction.
The delegation, referred to as the Minab 168 team, reportedly carried a deeply symbolic tribute during its journey. Seats aboard the aircraft were reserved in memory of school students who lost their lives in a recent U.S. missile strike, drawing widespread emotional attention and reactions.
The tribute was linked to the February 28 strike on the Shahre Tayyebeh School in Minab, Iran, where a U.S. Tomahawk missile attack allegedly killed over 165 people, most of them children. The delegation placed school bags, shoes, and photographs of the deceased students on designated seats, alongside flowers, as a mark of respect. Ghalibaf described the victims as “companions on the journey for peace” and stated that the strike occurred due to outdated intelligence, which the U.S. military reportedly acknowledged in preliminary findings.
The Iranian delegation, which includes experts in political, military, economic, and legal affairs, stated that talks will proceed only if preconditions are accepted by Washington. Iran has demanded an immediate ceasefire in Lebanon and the release of Iranian assets frozen under U.S. sanctions, asserting that meaningful negotiations depend on these assurances being fulfilled.
Meanwhile, U.S. President Donald Trump expressed confidence in the outcome of the discussions and extended his support to Vice President JD Vance, who is leading the American side. Trump reiterated that Iran is militarily weakened and emphasized that the United States would ensure the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, with or without Iran’s cooperation. The developments have intensified global attention on the talks being held in Islamabad.