Paris, March 3, 2026: The UNESCO has expressed deep alarm over the impact of the ongoing military escalation in the Middle East on educational institutions, students, and teaching staff.
In an initial assessment, the organization cited reports indicating that an attack on a girls’ primary school in Minab, southern Iran, resulted in the deaths of more than 100 people, including numerous students. UNESCO described the killing of pupils in a place dedicated to learning as a grave violation of the protection afforded to schools under international humanitarian law.
The agency stressed that attacks on educational institutions place students and teachers at serious risk and undermine the fundamental right to education.
Recalling its mandate and the provisions of United Nations Security Council Resolution 2601, UNESCO urged all parties involved in the conflict to uphold their obligations to safeguard schools, students, and education personnel.
The statement comes amid intensifying violence in the region, raising growing concerns about the humanitarian consequences of the widening conflict.
