Children's school backpacks, shoes and photographs form part of the "Shoes Left Behind" memorial at Tehran's Imam Khomeini International Airport, honouring victims of the Minab school bombing. Photo: Screengrab from video
A memorial dedicated to victims of the Minab school bombing has been installed at Tehran’s Imam Khomeini International Airport, where foreign delegations continue to arrive for the funeral ceremonies of Iran’s late Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. Videos of the display have gone viral on social media.
Titled “Shoes Left Behind: In Memory of the Children of Minab,” the memorial features rows of children’s school backpacks bearing photographs of the victims, with pairs of shoes and flowers arranged beside them.
The widely shared footage shows arriving officials and other passengers pausing to observe the memorial, with several stopping to photograph or record it before proceeding through the terminal.
The memorial has been set up as Tehran hosts days-long funeral ceremonies for Khamenei, with senior officials and representatives from several countries continuing to arrive in the Iranian capital ahead of the main funeral procession.
The tribute commemorates victims of the bombing of Shajareh Tayyebeh Elementary School in the southern Iranian city of Minab on February 28, the first day of the US-Israel war on Iran. According to Iranian authorities, the strike killed more than 175 people, including pupils, teachers and school staff.
The attack drew international attention and prompted calls from human rights organisations and several governments for a transparent investigation into the reported deaths of civilians at the school.
This post was last modified on July 3, 2026 3:50 pm