U.S. First Lady Melania Trump chaired a United Nations Security Council (UNSC) meeting highlighting education and child welfare in conflict zones, while Iran vehemently condemned the U.S. and Israel over an attack on an elementary school in Minab city that resulted in hundreds of child deaths.
Melania Trump, the First Lady of the United States, served as chairperson of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) meeting on the theme "Children, Technology, and Education in Conflict Situations," marking the first time in history that a sitting leader's spouse has been honored to chair a session of the 15-member council.
This role followed the United States assuming the UNSC's monthly rotating presidency and is seen as a clear signal that President Donald Trump is involving close associates and family members significantly in foreign policy.
Melania’s office stated the main goal of the meeting was to promote education to foster tolerance and global peace. She told the meeting, "The United States stands with children everywhere, and I hope peace will come to you soon."
However, the meeting took place just two days after the U.S. and Israel launched attacks on targets in Iran, prompting a UN warning about child safety in the region. Amir Saeed Iravani, Iran's ambassador to the UN, condemned the meeting as "shameful and deeply contradictory," citing reports that the U.S. and Israeli attacks destroyed a girls’ elementary school in Minab city, killing 165 students.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio affirmed that the U.S. did not intentionally target the school, while Israel’s UN ambassador said conflicting reports suggest Iran's Revolutionary Guard (IRGC) targeted the school themselves. Nevertheless, Israel expressed sorrow over the loss of civilian lives.
Meanwhile, Fu Cong, China’s ambassador to the UN, called for a serious investigation into the school attack, emphasizing that it constitutes one of the gravest violations of children's rights under UN standards.
It is well known that President Trump has frequently criticized the UN as ineffective and in need of major reform, and the U.S. has a large outstanding budget owed to the UN. Nevertheless, UN spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric viewed Melania Trump’s role as chairperson as a sign that the U.S. continues to prioritize the Security Council and issues affecting children during wartime.
Although Melania Trump has generally kept a low public profile, she has previously engaged in children’s issues, such as writing to President Vladimir Putin in 2025 to urge the return of Ukrainian children taken to Russia during the war to their families.
. Reuters