Iran holds funeral for top military commanders and scientists killed by “Israel”
Mourners dressed in black lined streets in Iran’s capital, Tehran, at a funeral on Saturday for top military commanders, nuclear scientists and civilians killed during this month’s war with “Israel.”
At least 16 scientists and 10 senior commanders were among those mourned at the funeral, according to state media, including armed forces chief Major General Mohammad Bagheri, Revolutionary Guards commander General Hossein Salami, and Guards Aerospace Force Chief General Amir Ali Hajizadeh.
Their coffins were driven into Tehran’s Azadi Square adorned with their pictures as well as rose petals and flowers, as crowds waved Iranian flags.
State TV said the funeral, dubbed the “funeral procession of the Martyrs of Power”, was held for a total of 60 people killed in the war, including four women and four children.
Attending the funeral were President Masoud Pezeshkian and other senior figures, including Ali Shamkhani, who was seriously wounded during the conflict and is an adviser to Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Bagheri, Salami and Hajizadeh were killed on June 13, the first day of the war.
According to Iranian health ministry figures, 610 people were killed on the Iranian side in the 12-day war, 13 of them children and 49 women, before a ceasefire went into effect on Tuesday. More than 4,700 were injured.
