US first lady urges protecting children after 165 killed in strike on girls' school in Iran

US first lady Melania Trump presided over a meeting of the United Nations (UN) Security Council on Monday, urging the protection of children's education during conflicts. 

Her address came after Iranian state media reported the killing of 165 people in an Israeli strike that hit an elementary girls' school in Minab. 

Ahead of the meeting, Iranian Ambassador to the UN Amir Saeid Iravani said, "It is deeply shameful and hypocritical that on the very first day of its presidency of the Security Council, the United States convened a high-level meeting on protecting children."

In her remarks during the Security Council meeting, Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs Rosemary DiCarlo acknowledged the reported deaths of children in an elementary school in the town of Minab. 

Dicarlo also pointed out that schools in Israel, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain and Oman "have closed and moved to remote learning owing to the ongoing military operations in the region."

"Madam President, the most effective way to protect children from conflict is to prevent and end wars," DiCarlo said.

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) released a statement addressing the reported tragedy that happened in Minab. 

"The killing of pupils in a place dedicated to learning constitutes a grave violation of the protection afforded to schools under international humanitarian law," the statement said.  

Trump did not address the ongoing US-Israel joint military strikes or the reported school strike during the meeting. 

According to Iranian authorities, 165 people were killed and 96 were injured in the attack on Shajareh Tayyebeh girls' elementary school in Minab.