Tens of Thousands Attend Funeral in Tehran for Commanders, Scientists, and Civilians Killed in Israeli Strikes
State Broadcasts and Procession Details📺
State television broadcast images of mourners dressed in black, waving Iranian flags, and carrying portraits of the deceased as the ceremony began at 8am local time (04:30 GMT). Coffins draped in Iranian flags and adorned with photographs of the dead commanders were paraded through central Tehran.
Details of the Israeli Assault💥
The Israeli assault, launched on June 13, targeted senior Iranian military and scientific officials, bombarding military installations and nuclear facilities across the country. In response, Iran launched missile attacks on Israel.
The bombardment by Israel continued for 12 days, with the United States joining the conflict last weekend, carrying out airstrikes on three Iranian nuclear sites. Iran retaliated by firing missiles at a US military base in Qatar.
Ceasefire and Claims of Victory🕊️
Both Israel and Iran have claimed victory in the war, which ended with a ceasefire on Tuesday. Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei downplayed the US strikes, accusing former President Donald Trump of “exaggerating events in unusual ways” and rejecting US claims that Iran’s nuclear programme had been set back by decades.
High-Profile Losses⚰️
Among those killed were General Hossein Salami, commander-in-chief of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), and General Amir Ali Hajizadeh, head of the IRGC’s ballistic missile programme. Their coffins were driven on trucks along Tehran’s Azadi Street as crowds chanted slogans including “Death to America” and “Death to Israel.”
Other prominent figures killed included Major-General Mohammad Bagheri of the Revolutionary Guard and top nuclear scientist Mohammad Mehdi Tehranchi.
First Public Funerals Since Ceasefire🙏
Saturday’s ceremony marked the first public funerals for senior commanders since the ceasefire. According to state media, funerals were held for a total of 60 people, including four women and four children.
War of Words Escalates💬
The funerals came a day after former US President Donald Trump criticised Khamenei on his Truth Social platform, dismissing Iran’s claim of victory. Trump alleged he had known “EXACTLY where he [Khamenei] was sheltered” and could have authorised his assassination, but chose not to.
Trump also claimed he had been considering lifting sanctions on Iran but abandoned the idea after Khamenei’s remarks.
Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi responded on Saturday, posting on X: “If President Trump is genuine about wanting a deal, he should put aside the disrespectful and unacceptable tone towards Iran’s Supreme Leader.”
Religious and Political Significance🗣️
Reporting from Tehran, Al Jazeera’s Resul Serdar said Araghchi’s response was unsurprising. “For many Iranians, Khamenei is not just a religious leader – constitutionally, he is the political and military head of state,” Serdar explained. “In Shia political theology, his role is also seen as divinely guided, so public criticism carries deep repercussions.”
No Nuclear Talks Planned❌
Ayatollah Khamenei did not appear in the funeral broadcasts. In previous funerals for top commanders, he has offered prayers over coffins before public ceremonies, with footage later aired by state media. He has not been seen in public since before the war began.
Israel claimed its strikes killed around 30 Iranian commanders and 11 nuclear scientists, and hit eight nuclear-related facilities alongside over 720 military targets. Iran fired more than 550 ballistic missiles at Israel during the conflict, with Israeli authorities saying most were intercepted, but those that landed caused damage in several areas and killed 28 people.
According to Iran’s Ministry of Health and Medical Education, Israeli attacks killed at least 627 civilians.
While Trump announced that negotiations on Iran’s nuclear programme would resume next week, Tehran has denied that any such talks are planned.
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