Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei said on Monday that 21 civilians were killed in a U.S. attack on the southern Iranian city of Lamerd, including an Afghan national who was a guest of the city.
As reported by IRAF, Baghaei made the remarks during his weekly press conference, referring to his recent visit to Lamerd, where he joined domestic and foreign media representatives in visiting the site of the U.S. attack and meeting wounded survivors and the families of victims.
Baghaei said the group had observed first-hand the damage caused by the attack on Lamerd on February 28, 2026, adding that what they saw was far more severe than the images broadcast by television and other media had conveyed.
“The intensity of the brutality used in this attack is unimaginable,” Baghaei said. “Turning a small city of 30,000 people, including its city center and civilian areas, into a testing ground for the latest weapons is incompatible with any human standard or principle.”
21 killed in Lamerd attack, including Afghan national
Describing the attack on residential and civilian areas of Lamerd, Baghaei said the strikes involved a missile packed with three-gram fragments and four 500-kilogram bombs containing 180,000 pellets.
He said the weapons exploded over the city’s stadium, residential areas, near the blood transfusion center and in an educational environment and school.
The Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman described the attack as a war crime and said its purpose was to spread fear.
“On the very first day of the military aggression by the United States and the Israeli regime against Iran, cities including Minab and the Shajareh Tayyebeh School were also targeted, and within 35 seconds, 2,000 kilograms of explosives were detonated over the city of Lamerd,” he said.
Baghaei said 21 innocent people were killed in the attacks, “including an Afghan guest of the city.”
Baghaei recounts stories of victims’ families and survivors
Baghaei also described the condition of those wounded in the attack, saying their pain and suffering were indescribable.
He recalled the story of a mother who, before February 28, had been the mother of a martyr, but lost her only daughter in the attack. She is now responsible for caring for and nursing her three young and teenage grandchildren, all three of whom were wounded in the attack.
Baghaei also referred to Mahmoud Najafi, a teacher and football coach, describing him as a selfless hero for both Amirsam and his mother, as well as for the people of Lamerd and all Iranians.
“He taught his students the lesson of sacrifice until the very last moment and tried to save the children who were playing football near Lamerd Stadium,” Baghaei said.
He paid tribute to those killed in the attack and wished the wounded a speedy recovery.
“We salute the souls of all the victims of the U.S. missile crime in Lamerd on February 28, 2026, and wish the wounded of this crime a speedy recovery,” he said.
‘The people of Lamerd are a true example of patience and insight’
Baghaei said he had attended a large gathering of residents of Lamerd to pay tribute to the city’s “patient and discerning” people.
Referring to a saying attributed to Imam Ali — “Indeed, no one can bear this banner except those who possess insight and patience” — he said the people of Lamerd, particularly the families of those killed and wounded, were a true example of patience and insight in defending and resisting those responsible for the attacks.
Baghaei concluded by referring to what he described as the latest Iranian martyr of the resistance and offered his condolences to the family of the latest victim of what he called U.S. aggression against Iran.
