Iran holds its first state funeral for military leaders, nuclear scientists killed during Israeli strike

Thousands of mourners lined up in the streets of downtown Tehran on Saturday to attend the Revolutionary Guard funeral, with other top commanders and nuclear scientists at one time 12-day war with Israel.

The chief coffin of Hossein Salami, head of the Guard’s ballistic missile program, General Amir Ali Hajizadeh and others were driven on a truck in the capital Azadi Street, when people in the crowd shouted: “Death to the United States” and “Death to Israel”.

Salami and Hajizadeh were killed on the first day of the war on June 13 Israel launched a war It said it aims to destroy Iran’s nuclear program, specifically targeting military commanders, scientists and nuclear facilities.

State media reported that more than one million people attended the funeral, which could not be independently confirmed, but dense crowds filled Tehran’s main access along nearly three miles of route.

There is no immediate sign of Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khameneibroadcast in the state of funeral. Khamenei, who has not made public appearances since the outbreak of the war, prayed for the fallen commander at past funerals before the public ceremony, which was later aired on state television.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi was on the scene, state television reported that General Esmail Qaani, head of the foreign wing of the Revolutionary Guards, Quds Force and General Ali Shamkhani.

Khamenei’s adviser, Shamkhani, was injured during the first round of attacks and hospitalization in Israel, and his civilian suit was shown on a set of crutches, posted in an image on the state television station’s telegraph channel.

The Iranian Revolutionary Guard was founded after the Islamic Revolution in 1979. Since its establishment, it has evolved from a paramilitary, domestic security force to a transnational force that, with the help of Tehran’s allies in the Middle East, from Syria and Lebanon to Iraq. It fought side by side with the country’s existing armed forces and controlled Iran’s ballistic missile arsenal, which had attacked Israel twice during the Israel-Hamas war in the Gaza Strip.

Within 12 days before the ceasefire was announced on Tuesday, Israel claimed it killed about 30 Iranian commanders and 11 nuclear scientists while defeating eight people at the same time Nuclear-related facilities and more than 720 military infrastructure. More than 1,000 people, including at least 417 civilians, were killed, according to a panel of human rights activists in Washington.

Iran fired more than 550 ballistic missiles at Israel, most of which were intercepted, but those caused damage in many areas and killed 28 people.

Saturday’s ceremony was the first public funeral of the Supreme Commander since the ceasefire, and Iran State Television reported that they had a total of 60 people, including four women and four children.

Authorities closed government offices to allow civil servants to attend the ceremony.

Many in the crowd expressed feelings of anger and contempt.

“This is not a ceasefire, it’s just a pause,” said Ahmad Mousapoor, 43. “Whatever they do, we will definitely respond in frustration.”

State media published images of an open grave plot at Tehran’s vast Besht I Zahra Cemetery where Army Chief of Staff General Mohammad Bagheri was killed on the first day of the war, who will be buried next to his brother, killed in the 1980s Iran-Iraq War.

Many others will be buried in their hometowns.

Miman News Agency, the Iranian judiciary, confirmed that The infamous Evin Prison Killed during an Israeli strike on Monday.

It reported that the prosecution of Ali Ghanaatkar has led to widespread criticism from human rights groups that he will be buried in a shrine in QOM.

Iran has been insisting that its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes only. But Israel sees it as an existential threat and says its military movement is necessary to prevent Iran from making atomic weapons.

Khamenei’s last public appearance was on June 11, a two-day outbreak of hostilities when he met with Iranian MPs.

But, on Thursday, he Prerecorded videos have been releasedthe first message since the end of the war was filled with threats and threats against the United States and Israel, a long-time rival to the Islamic Republic.

The 86-year-old has faded The United States strikes on three Iranian nuclear sites Because “anything important” was not achieved and claimed to have defeated Israel.

Rafael Grossi, head of the United Nations Nuclear Monitoring Agency Characteristic is damage By US bunker – Bomb bombs bombs were destroyed to the Fordo nuclear site in Iran, the site is “very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very, very”.