One Iranian participant said the deaths were part of a broader pattern of violence against children in the region.

"It was not surprising for me, because it is not the first time that they tried to kill children, to kill students. They did this pattern in other countries in the Middle East , like in Palestine, in Gaza, in Lebanon, in Syria," she said.

"The students are also a wealth for a country, because they will grow up and build their future. So it's not surprising for me they want to kill the children ," she added.

Another activist from the United States criticised Washington's response to the incident, accusing the country of avoiding accountability.

"I have never seen the country take responsibility for colonialism, imperialism, or the wars it causes. They always have an excuse," she said. "They are never going to take responsibility for the killings, the wars they start, or the aggressions they carry out. No, I do not expect to see that happen in my lifetime."

The Minab school strike was among the deadliest reported incidents of the conflict. Iranian authorities said up to 170 people were killed, including many children.

The religious gathering came just days after Tehran and Washington reached an agreement intended to halt military hostilities across multiple fronts.

Large crowds took part in ceremonies marking Ashura, one of the most important events in the Shiite Muslim calendar, while reactions to the agreement reflected a mix of optimism and caution.

"We do not trust America , and our officials do not trust them either. Sitting at the negotiating table with distrust," noted Tehran resident Bardideh, adding that he hoped the experience of the 2015 nuclear agreement would not be repeated.

Others viewed the agreement as a positive development for Iran .

“I am happy that this memorandum between Iran and the United States also demonstrates the authority and strength of our dear Iran,” said Tehran resident Robabeh Abdullahi.

Shiite Muslims observe Ashura on the 10th day of Muharram to commemorate the martyrdom of Imam Hussein ibn Ali at the Battle of Karbala in 680 CE.

This year's commemorations took place against the backdrop of diplomatic developments between Iran and the United States.

On Wednesday, US President Donald Trump signed the memorandum during a dinner hosted by French President Emmanuel Macron at the Palace of Versailles.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian signed the document remotely, while Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif added Pakistan's signature in Islamabad.

The 14-point memorandum calls for an immediate halt to military operations across all fronts. Israel has said it is not part of the agreement and has continued military operations in Lebanon.

Speaking on Thursday, Qalibaf said the memorandum signed by Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and US President Donald Trump is based on reciprocal action from both sides.

"Every commitment we make, is reciprocal, and action for action. This has been fully stipulated in Clause 13. We have appointed observers for this matter, which means we must jointly agree on the identity of these observers, as well as on these mediators and the other countries tasked with implementation," Qalibaf stated.

"But rest assured, if they fail to fulfill [on any of the clauses], we will not fulfill [our part] accordingly," he added.

Qalibaf said the agreement also includes plans to direct significant investment into Iran during the negotiation period.

"One of the measures we took here [MoU] was to allocate 300 billion dollars so that, during this same negotiation period, which is a limited 60-day window, we can channel these 300 billion dollars into the investment sector," he continued.

Despite participating in the negotiations, Qalibaf said he remains deeply sceptical of the United States.

"I am the one who has the most distrust [of the US], especially because I am the negotiator. I told Mr JD Vance in Islamabad that I came here to negotiate, but know this well that we have complete distrust toward you. We have come here in good faith," he concluded.

The remarks came after the signing of the memorandum between Tehran and Washington, with Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif endorsing the agreement as mediator.

The conflict that led to the negotiations began on February 28 when the United States and Israel launched joint strikes against Iran. Tehran responded with missile attacks, escalating tensions across the region.

A conditional ceasefire was announced on April 8, paving the way for talks between the two sides.

The United States remains the world's largest travel and tourism economy by a considerable margin, generating an estimated $2.36 trillion in tourism-related economic activity, according to the latest World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) Economic Impact Research.

The ranking highlights the growing economic power of global tourism as international travel continues to recover and expand beyond pre-pandemic levels, with China firmly holding second place at $1.3 trillion, followed by Germany at $487.6 billion.

According to the WTTC, travel and tourism contributed a record $11.6 trillion to the global economy in 2025, accounting for 9.8% of global GDP and supporting approximately 366 million jobs worldwide, or roughly one in every nine jobs globally.

America Dominates Global Tourism Economy

The United States' tourism sector is worth nearly twice that of second-placed China and exceeds the combined tourism economies of several major European destinations.

WTTC data shows the world's ten largest tourism economies are:

The rankings reflect tourism's total contribution to national economies, including direct spending by visitors as well as indirect and induced economic effects across industries such as aviation, hospitality, retail, transportation and entertainment.l

Nearly half of all adults in Massachusetts now hold at least a bachelor's degree, cementing the state's position as America's most educated, according to the latest U.S. Census Bureau data analysed by Business Insider .

Massachusetts led the nation with 48.3% of residents aged 25 and older holding a bachelor's degree or higher, narrowly ahead of Colorado at 47.8%. Vermont, Maryland and New Jersey rounded out the top five, highlighting the continued dominance of the Northeast and highly skilled knowledge-economy states.

The findings come as educational attainment across the United States continues to rise, with the Census Bureau reporting growing shares of Americans earning university degrees, particularly among younger adults.

Based on the share of adults aged 25 and over with a bachelor's degree or higher, the top 10 states are:

Massachusetts' educational advantage is closely tied to its concentration of world-renowned universities, including Harvard University, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Boston University and Tufts University. The state also boasts the nation's highest share of adults with graduate or professional degrees at 22.6%.

Experts say highly educated populations often attract technology, healthcare, finance and biotechnology firms, creating a cycle in which talent and economic opportunity reinforce one another. Massachusetts consistently ranks among the strongest U.S. economies and highest-income states.

The Census Bureau's latest educational attainment data show that younger Americans are earning degrees at historically high rates. In 2024, 42.8% of Americans aged 25 to 39 held a bachelor's degree or higher, compared with 34.2% among those aged 55 and older.

Research consistently links higher educational attainment with stronger earnings, lower unemployment and greater economic mobility. States with large concentrations of degree holders also tend to attract high-value industries and investment.

Brazil remains football's biggest talent exporter, with more players competing abroad than any other nation, according to a new report from the CIES Football Observatory , highlighting the country's enduring influence on the global game.

The study found that 3,020 Brazilian footballers played in foreign leagues between 2020 and 2025, comfortably ahead of France (2,293) and Argentina (2,171). Together, the three nations account for a significant share of the world's internationally mobile football talent.

For decades, Brazil has been synonymous with football excellence, producing legends from Pelé and Zico to Ronaldo, Ronaldinho and Neymar. The latest figures suggest the country's talent pipeline remains unmatched, with Brazilian players appearing in leagues across Europe, Asia, the Middle East and the Americas.

According to CIES, Portugal remains the leading destination for Brazilian footballers, benefiting from shared language and historical ties. At the same time, Japan, the United States and several European leagues also attract large numbers of Brazilian players.

France ranked second, with the report noting the country recorded the largest increase in expatriate players during the period, adding 372 footballers abroad between 2020 and 2025. Argentina finished third, reinforcing South America's status as one of football's most important talent-producing regions.

England, Spain, Germany and Colombia also featured prominently in the top 10, while Nigeria was the highest-ranked African nation with 926 players competing overseas. Serbia and Croatia completed the list.

The CIES study examined player movements across 135 professional leagues worldwide, reflecting the increasingly global nature of modern football. Analysts say clubs are scouting talent more widely than ever, creating international pathways for players from emerging football markets.

The report also found strong growth in football migration from countries such as Nigeria, Colombia and France, underlining the growing demand for talent from Africa and South America .

Speaking publicly, Gharibabadi said Switzerland would be involved in the signing process.

"The official signing of the memorandum will take place on Friday between the main parties, with Switzerland involved," he said.

The Iranian official also outlined what he described as the main elements of the agreement.

"The first point is the immediate and permanent end of the war and military operations, in fact, on various fronts, including in Lebanon," he claimed.

"You saw this in the position announced by the Prime Minister of Pakistan, where it was explicitly stated that a permanent and immediate end to the war has been declared on all fronts, including Lebanon."

His remarks came after Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said there had been "the immediate and permanent termination of military operations on all fronts, including in Lebanon".

Gharibabadi also said the agreement addressed maritime restrictions imposed on Iran .

"The second event that occurred, which the US President also announced in his statement, is the lifting and termination of the naval blockade that the US had, in fact, imposed against the Islamic Republic of Iran," he stated.

While both Tehran and Washington have confirmed that an agreement has been reached, neither side has publicly released the full contents of the deal.

Media reports have suggested the agreement could include a 60-day ceasefire, the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, the end of the US naval blockade, sanctions relief for Iran and renewed discussions on Iran's nuclear programme.

However, Israel has stated that it is not a party to the agreement.