At least 53 people have been killed after an Israeli airstrike struck an elementary girls’ school in Minab, a town in Hormozgan province in southern Iran.
Iran’s state media reported that emergency responders are still clearing rubble from the site, where 63 others were injured in Saturday’s attack.
The strike forms part of a wider wave of military operations carried out by the United States and Israel across Iran, further heightening tensions and fueling violence in the region.
Abbas Araghchi, Iran’s foreign minister, shared an image from the scene on X, mourning the destruction and the deaths of “innocent children”.
“These crimes against the Iranian People will not go unanswered,” Araghchi wrote.
Russia has strongly criticised the latest airstrikes by the United States and Israel on Iran.
In a statement released on Saturday, Moscow described the attacks as a “deliberate, premeditated, and unprovoked act of armed aggression” against a sovereign nation.
“The scope and character of the military, political, and propaganda preparations that preceded this reckless step leave no doubt that this is a deliberate, premeditated, and unprovoked act of armed aggression against a sovereign and independent UN member state,” the statement reads.
Russia accused Washington and Tel Aviv of breaching fundamental principles and norms of international law.
It also faulted the timing of the strikes, saying they were carried out “under the cover of the renewed negotiation process” aimed at achieving long-term normalisation around Iran.
According to Moscow, previous assurances had been communicated indicating that Israel had no intention of entering a military confrontation with Tehran.
“The international community, including the leadership of the UN and the IAEA, must urgently deliver an objective and unbiased assessment of these irresponsible actions,” the statement reads.
Russia warned that the United States and Israel had embarked on “a perilous course” that could push the region toward “a humanitarian, economic, and potentially even radiological disaster.”
The statement further alleged that the stated goal of the strikes was to dismantle Iran’s constitutional system and remove its leadership.
Moscow also expressed concern over the potential consequences for the global nuclear non-proliferation framework, particularly the Treaty on the non-proliferation of nuclear weapons (NPT).
Russia described as “unacceptable” the bombing of nuclear facilities operating under International Atomic Energy Agency safeguards, rejecting US and Israeli claims that the strikes were meant to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons.
It cautioned that rising tensions could drive countries in the Middle East and beyond to pursue more dangerous methods of addressing perceived threats.
“We call for an immediate return to a political and diplomatic track. Russia, as always, stands ready to assist in advancing peaceful solutions grounded in international law, mutual respect, and a balanced consideration of interests,” the statement reads.