Tehran [Iran], June 28 (ANI): In a powerful display of national mourning and defiance, thousands of Iranians gathered in Tehran on Saturday to honor the funeral procession of senior Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) commanders, nuclear scientists, and civilians killed during Israeli airstrikes. The Jerusalem Post, citing Iranian media, reported a large turnout as coffins adorned with Iranian flags and photographs of the deceased were driven through Azadi Square while mourners chanted, waved national flags, and showered the caskets with rose petals.
The procession was attended by top Iranian leadership, including President Mansour Pezeshkian and Esmail Qaani, commander of the IRGC’s Quds Force. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi, in a Telegram message, praised the deceased as martyrs of “heroic resistance” against nuclear-armed regimes and called on the nation to look ahead with “pride, dignity, and resolve.”
Iranian authorities claimed that 627 Iranians were killed during the 12-day conflict with Israel, though this figure could not be independently verified due to strict media controls. Israeli officials, meanwhile, reported that 28 people were killed in Israel during the hostilities.
A senior Israeli military source said that Israel’s Operation Rising Lion resulted in the deaths of more than 30 senior Iranian security officials and 11 nuclear scientists. The Israeli Air Force reportedly struck over 900 targets in Iran, inflicting substantial damage on its missile production infrastructure. The intense conflict ended with a U.S.-brokered ceasefire.
The funeral procession took place just days after Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei declared a “decisive victory” over both the U.S. and Israel. In a video message and posts on social media platform X, Khamenei asserted that “the Zionist regime… has almost collapsed and been crushed” under Iran’s retaliatory strikes. He also claimed that the U.S. intervened to prevent Israel from facing total defeat, receiving in return “a slap in the face.”
Khamenei issued a warning to Iran’s adversaries, saying Tehran “can take action whenever it deems necessary” and would ensure any future aggression is met with “a heavy price.” His comments followed a reported two-week public absence during which he is said to have taken refuge in a secure location to avoid potential Israeli assassination attempts.
The ceremony not only honored those lost in the conflict but also served as a potent political message, reaffirming Tehran’s stance of resistance and regional strength amid growing international tensions. (ANI)
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