Antalya, Turkey. Players held small backpacks as Iran’s national football team used a match against Nigeria on Friday to honor victims of a deadly missile strike on an elementary school.

More than 165 people were killed — most of them children — when a Feb. 28 strike, believed to have been launched by the United States, hit the school in southern Iran. Neither the United States nor Israel has claimed responsibility for the attack, which has drawn sharp criticism from the United Nations and human rights groups. The US military has said it is investigating and would never intentionally target civilians.

During the national anthem, Iranian players placed small pink and purple school backpacks in front of them in tribute to the victims. Video of the ceremony also showed players wearing black armbands in remembrance of those killed since the war began.

The match was played in Antalya, southern Turkey. Nigeria won 2-1 in what served as a World Cup tuneup for Iran, ahead of the tournament co-hosted by the United States, Mexico, and Canada.

Iran is scheduled to play three group-stage matches in June in the United States. The Iranian ambassador in Mexico City said the country has asked FIFA to move those games to Mexico after U.S. President Donald Trump discouraged the team from attending, citing safety concerns.

Iranian officials have said they do not intend to boycott the World Cup, but argued it would be difficult for the team to travel to the United States amid ongoing military tensions involving Israel and the US.

FIFA President Gianni Infantino has downplayed the request, saying the governing body expects the tournament to proceed as scheduled.

Separately, Iran’s judiciary threatened to seize the property of soccer player Sardar Azmoun, according to two semiofficial news agencies. The move follows earlier warnings from the country’s hard-line judicial chief that authorities could target assets of celebrities critical of the government.

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