A state funeral service is beneath method in Iran for about 60 folks, together with navy commanders, killed in Israeli assaults, with hundreds becoming a member of the ceremony within the capital, Tehran.
State TV confirmed footage of individuals donning black garments, waving Iranian flags and holding photos of the slain head of the Revolutionary Guard, different prime commanders and nuclear scientists within the ceremony that began at 8am (04:30 GMT) on Saturday.
Photographs from central Tehran confirmed coffins draped in Iranian flags and bearing portraits of the deceased commanders in uniform.
America had carried out strikes on three Iranian nuclear websites final weekend, becoming a member of its ally Israel’s bombardments of Iran within the 12-day conflict launched on June 13.
Each Israel and Iran claimed victory within the conflict that ended with a ceasefire on Tuesday, with Iran’s Supreme Chief Ayatollah Ali Khamenei downplaying the US strikes, claiming Trump had “exaggerated occasions in uncommon methods”, and rejecting US claims that Iran’s nuclear programme had been set again by many years.
The coffins of the Guard’s chief Common Hossein Salami, the pinnacle of the Guard’s ballistic missile programme, Common Amir Ali Hajizadeh, and others had been pushed on vans alongside the capital’s Azadi Avenue as folks within the crowds chanted: “Dying to America” and “Dying to Israel”.
Salami and Hajizadeh had been each killed on the primary day of the conflict, which Israel mentioned was meant to destroy Iran’s nuclear programme.
Mohammad Bagheri, a major-general in Iran’s Revolutionary Guard, in addition to prime nuclear scientist Mohammad Mehdi Tehranchi had been additionally killed in Israeli assaults.
Saturday’s ceremonies had been the primary public funerals for prime commanders because the ceasefire, and Iranian state tv reported that they had been for 60 folks in complete, together with 4 girls and 4 youngsters.
Authorities closed authorities places of work to permit public servants to attend the ceremonies.
Confrontation
The state funeral comes a day after US President Donald Trump launched a tirade on his Fact Social platform, blasting Khamenei for claiming in a video handle that Iran had received the conflict.
Trump additionally claimed to have known “EXACTLY the place he (Khamenei) was sheltered, and wouldn’t let Israel, or the US Armed Forces… terminate his life”.
He claimed he had been working in current days on the potential elimination of sanctions towards Iran, however he dropped it after Khamenei’s remarks.
Hitting again at Trump on Saturday, Iranian International Minister Abbas Araghchi mentioned on X: “If President Trump is real about wanting a deal, he ought to put apart the disrespectful and unacceptable tone in direction of Iran’s Supreme Chief.”
Al Jazeera’s Resul Serdar, reporting from Tehran, mentioned Araghchi’s remarks had been “a most anticipated response” to Trump’s social media posts.
“Many Iranian folks regard him [Khamenei] as mainly a spiritual chief, however in line with the structure, he’s not solely that – he’s the political chief, he’s the navy chief – he’s merely the pinnacle of state in Iran,” he mentioned.
Serdar additionally mentioned Khamenei’s place is not only the highest of a hierarchy, however a divine position in Shia political theology.
“Not solely in Iran, however internationally, we all know there are a big variety of Shia who search for his steerage,” Serdar mentioned. “Anybody who is aware of that may be meticulously cautious to not publicly criticise him, and significantly to not accuse him of mendacity.”
No nuclear talks deliberate
There was no speedy signal of Iran’s supreme chief, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, within the state broadcast of the funeral.
Khamenei, who has not made a public look since earlier than the outbreak of the conflict, has in previous funerals held prayers for fallen commanders over their coffins earlier than the open ceremonies, later aired on state tv.
Through the 12 days earlier than the ceasefire, Israel claimed it killed about 30 Iranian commanders and 11 nuclear scientists, whereas hitting eight nuclear-related services and greater than 720 navy infrastructure websites.
Iran fired greater than 550 ballistic missiles at Israel, most of which had been intercepted, however people who received by way of brought on injury in lots of areas and killed 28 folks, in line with Israeli figures.
The Israeli assaults on Iran killed not less than 627 civilians, Tehran’s Ministry of Well being and Medical Training mentioned.
After the US strikes, Trump mentioned negotiations on Iran’s nuclear programme for a brand new deal had been set to restart subsequent week, however Tehran denied there have been plans for a resumption.
