‘Soon Peace Will Be Yours’: Melania Trump Leads UN Security Council Amid Middle East Tensions

Last Updated:March 03, 2026, 05:49 IST

It marked the first time a spouse of a serving world leader has presided over a session of the Council, the UN body charged with maintaining international peace and security.

US First Lady Melania Trump chaired a meeting of the United Nations Security Council on Monday, pressing the cause of children caught in conflict amid Middle East escalating tensions.

It marked the first time a spouse of a serving world leader has presided over a session of the 15-member Council, the UN body charged with maintaining international peace and security. The meeting, titled “Children, Technology, and Education in Conflict," was planned before the United States and Israel launched attacks on Iran over the weekend.

Opening the session with a strike of a ceremonial gavel, the First Lady emphasised education as a path toward tolerance and peace. “The Us stands with all of the children throughout the world. I hope soon peace will be yours," she said as quoted by news agency AFP, without directly referencing the ongoing military operations.

“Enduring peace will be achieved when knowledge and understanding are fully valued within all our societies. Societies ruled by knowledge and wisdom are therefore more peaceful," she added.

Her remarks came days after the US and Israel launched massive strikes on Iran, which killed the country’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and other senior officials. The strikes prompted warnings from the UNICEF about the safety of millions of children in the region. UNICEF described the escalation as “a dangerous moment for millions of children," echoing Antonio Guterres’ call for an immediate cessation of hostilities.

Meanwhile, Iran’s UN ambassador, Amir Saeid Iravani, accused the United States and Israel of striking a girls’ primary school in Minab, claiming 165 schoolgirls were killed. Iravani called it “deeply shameful and hypocritical" for the US to convene a meeting on protecting children while conducting military strikes.

However, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that “the United States will not deliberately target a school." Israel’s UN ambassador said there were conflicting reports about the Minab incident but expressed regret over any civilian loss of life.

Without directly mentioning Iran, China’s UN ambassador Fu Cong said attacks on schools were among the gravest violations against children and called for robust investigations and accountability.

Despite tensions, Melania Trump was warmly received by ambassadors from across the Council, including Russia and China. She closed the two-hour session by honoring US service members killed in the conflict and telling delegates, “I wish you all strength and resolve to succeed in preserving peace and security throughout the world."

(With inputs from agencies)

News world ‘Soon Peace Will Be Yours’: Melania Trump Leads UN Security Council Amid Middle East Tensions

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