Tehran, April 20 -- Families of victims of the deadly school attack in Iran's southern city of Minab have urged Pope Leo XIV to become "the voice of their voiceless children" and press for dialogue to achieve lasting peace, according to Press TV.

In a letter addressed to the pontiff, relatives of schoolchildren killed in a "joint US-Israeli" military attack said his message of peace had "offered a healing touch to our broken hearts."

"The school massacre occurred on February 28, when a US military attack using Tomahawk missiles struck Shajare Tayyebe Elementary School in Iran's southern city of Minab, killing more than 170 children and teachers," Press TV reported.

The families described the incident as "a direct result of the provocat...