TEHRAN — A 25-member group of Turkish cyclists has arrived in Iran to honor the memory of students martyred at the Shajareh Tayyebeh school in Minab and convey a message of solidarity from the Turkish people to the victims’ families.
The delegation entered Iran through the Razi border crossing in West Azerbaijan Province on Friday, and arrived in Tabriz on Saturday. The group began its journey in Diyarbakir, southeastern Türkiye, and is traveling toward Minab in southern Iran.
The cyclists are carrying approximately 2,000 handwritten messages of condolence, along with toys donated by Turkish people for the children and families affected by the tragedy. They have also pledged to donate their bicycles in memory of the students upon reaching their destination.
The delegation comprises 25 men and women aged between 16 and 72, according to the West Azerbaijan Province Department of Sports and Youth. Their itinerary includes stops in Khoy and Urmia before continuing through Tabriz, Zanjan, Qazvin, Tehran, Qom, Isfahan and Fars Province.
The group is expected to reach Minab on October 19, according to the published schedule.
Speaking during a welcoming ceremony in Khoy, West Azerbaijan Province Director-General of Education Ali Akbar Samimi said the cyclists’ presence has carried the message of the Minab students’ suffering beyond Iran’s borders.
The initiative highlights the role of grassroots solidarity and people-to-people engagement in expressing sympathy with bereaved families. By carrying messages, gifts and personal tributes across borders, the cyclists are seeking to ensure that the memory of the victims remains alive.
The journey also reflects the potential of sporting and civic initiatives to strengthen connections between neighboring nations through shared expressions of compassion and remembrance.