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Khaleej Times
40 minutes ago
- Politics
- Khaleej Times
Iran holds state funeral for top brass killed in 12-day conflict with Israel
Iran began a state funeral service Saturday for around 60 people, including its military commanders, killed in its war with Israel, after Tehran's top diplomat condemned Donald Trump's comments on supreme leader Ali Khamenei as "unacceptable". The proceedings in Tehran for the nuclear scientists and military commanders killed in Israeli strikes began at 8am local time (0430 GMT). "The ceremony to honour the martyrs has officially started," state TV said, showing footage of people donning black clothes, waving Iranian flags and holding pictures of the slain military commanders. Images showed coffins draped in Iranian flags and bearing portraits of the deceased commanders in uniform near Enghelab Square in central Tehran. 'Historic' state funeral The ceremony in Tehran "to honour the martyrs" will be followed by a funeral procession to Azadi Square, about 11km (seven miles) across the sprawling metropolis. Mohsen Mahmoudi, head of Tehran's Islamic Development Coordination Council, vowed it would be a "historic day for Islamic Iran and the revolution". Among the dead is Mohammad Bagheri, a major general in Iran's Revolutionary Guards and the second-in-command of the armed forces after the Iranian leader. He will be buried alongside his wife and daughter, a journalist for a local media outlet, all killed in an Israeli attack. Nuclear scientist Mohammad Mehdi Tehranchi, also killed in the attacks, will be buried with his wife. Revolutionary Guards commander Hossein Salami, who was killed on the first day of the war, will also be laid to rest after Saturday's ceremony -- which will also honour at least 30 other top commanders. Of the 60 people who are to be laid to rest after the ceremony, four are children. 12-day conflict with Israel The US had carried out strikes on three Iranian nuclear sites last weekend, joining its ally Israel's bombardments of Iran's nuclear programme in the 12-day conflict launched on June 13. Both Israel and Iran claimed victory in the war that ended with a ceasefire, with Iranian leader Khamenei downplaying the US strikes as having done "nothing significant". In a tirade on his Truth Social platform, Trump blasted Tehran Friday for claiming to have won the war. He also claimed to have known "EXACTLY where he (Khamenei) was sheltered, and would not let Israel, or the U.S. Armed Forces... terminate his life". "I SAVED HIM FROM A VERY UGLY AND IGNOMINIOUS DEATH, and he does not have to say, 'THANK YOU, PRESIDENT TRUMP!'" the US leader said. Trump added he had been working in recent days on the possible removal of sanctions against Iran, one of Tehran's main demands. "But no, instead I get hit with a statement of anger, hatred, and disgust, and immediately dropped all work on sanction relief, and more," Trump said. Hitting back at Trump Saturday, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi condemned the Republican president's comments on Khamenei. "If President Trump is genuine about wanting a deal, he should put aside the disrespectful and unacceptable tone towards Iran's Supreme Leader, Grand Ayatollah Khamenei," Araghchi posted on social media platform X. "The Great and Powerful Iranian People, who showed the world that the Israeli regime had NO CHOICE but to RUN to 'Daddy' to avoid being flattened by our Missiles, do not take kindly to Threats and Insults." The Israeli strikes on Iran killed at least 627 civilians, Tehran's health ministry said. Iran's attacks on Israel killed 28 people, according to Israeli figures. 'Imminent threat' During his first term in office, Trump pulled out in 2018 of a landmark nuclear deal — negotiated by former US president Barack Obama. The deal that Trump had abandoned aimed to make it practically impossible for Iran to build an atomic bomb, while at the same time allowing it to pursue a civil nuclear programme. Iran, which insists its nuclear programme is only for civilian purposes, stepped up its activities after Trump withdrew from the agreement. After the US strikes, Trump said negotiations for a new deal were set to begin next week. But Tehran denied a resumption, and leader Khamenei said Trump had "exaggerated events in unusual ways", rejecting US claims Iran's nuclear programme had been set back by decades. Israel had claimed it had "thwarted Iran's nuclear project" during the 12-day war. But its foreign minister reiterated Friday the world was obliged to stop Tehran from developing an atomic bomb. "The international community now has an obligation to prevent, through any effective means, the world's most extreme regime from obtaining the most dangerous weapon," Gideon Saar wrote on X.
Roya News
an hour ago
- Politics
- Roya News
Iran to hold mass funeral on Saturday for 60 top brass killed in 'Israeli' strikes
Iran is set to hold a state funeral Saturday in Tehran for approximately 60 individuals, including high-ranking military officials and nuclear scientists, killed during its 12-day war with 'Israel', a conflict that also drew direct US military involvement. The funeral, expected to begin at 7:30 AM (GMT+3) in Enghelab Square and continue with a procession to Azadi Square, will honor military leaders, nuclear experts, and civilians killed in 'Israeli' airstrikes, according to Iranian officials. The country's health ministry reported at least 627 civilian deaths from 'Israeli' attacks. Among those to be buried are Major General Mohammad Bagheri, deputy commander of Iran's armed forces, his wife and journalist daughter, as well as prominent nuclear physicist Mohammad Mehdi Tehranchi and his spouse. 'This will be a historic day for Islamic Iran and the revolution,' said Mohsen Mahmoudi, head of Tehran's Islamic Development Coordination Council. Iran and 'Israel' both declared victory following the June 13–25 conflict, which ended in a ceasefire. The US had joined the fray by striking three Iranian nuclear facilities in coordination with 'Israel', prompting fierce rhetoric from all sides. Despite the attacks, Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei downplayed the damage, asserting the US strikes had achieved 'nothing significant.' However, tensions reignited Friday when Trump posted a barrage of posts on his Truth Social platform, accusing Iran of falsely claiming victory. He also revealed that during the war, he knew 'EXACTLY where [Khamenei] was sheltered' and claimed to have prevented a US-'Israeli' assassination attempt. 'I SAVED HIM FROM A VERY UGLY AND IGNOMINIOUS DEATH,' Trump wrote, adding that he had been considering lifting sanctions on Iran, but halted those efforts after what he called Tehran's 'anger, hatred, and disgust.' Iran's foreign minister Abbas Araghchi condemned Trump's comments as deeply disrespectful. 'If President Trump is genuine about wanting a deal, he should put aside the disrespectful and unacceptable tone towards Iran's Supreme Leader,' he wrote on social platform X. He also hailed Iran's resistance, stating, 'The Great and Powerful Iranian People… do not take kindly to Threats and Insults.' The conflict saw significant losses on both sides. 'Israel' reported 28 deaths from Iranian missile and drone strikes, while Iran's government plans to bury at least 60 people on Saturday, including four children and over 30 senior military officers, such as Revolutionary Guards commander Hossein Salami, killed on the war's opening day. The war erupted amid stalled diplomatic efforts to revive the 2015 nuclear deal, which Trump unilaterally exited in 2018. That agreement, brokered under President Barack Obama, had aimed to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons while permitting civilian nuclear activity. Since the US withdrawal, Tehran has accelerated its enrichment and research efforts. Trump had hinted that new negotiations with Iran could begin next week. However, Khamenei dismissed the prospect of renewed talks, insisting Iran would not yield to US coercion. 'The American president exaggerated events in unusual ways,' Khamenei said Thursday, rejecting claims that the war had set back Iran's nuclear program by decades. Meanwhile, 'Israel's' foreign minister Gideon Saar maintained that 'Israeli' action was necessary to preempt an existential threat. 'Israel acted at the last possible moment… the international community now has an obligation to prevent, through any effective means, the world's most extreme regime from obtaining the most dangerous weapon,' Saar said.
News18
3 hours ago
- Politics
- News18
Iran Releases Photos Of Coffins Carrying Bodies Of Military Officials Ahead Of Mass Funeral
Last Updated: Ahead of the mass funeral, the Iranian state media have released the photos of the coffins carrying the dead bodies of military commanders and officials killed in the airstrikes. Iran-Israel Tensions: Two weeks after exchanging firings in a direct conflict with Israel, Iran will is scheduled to hold 'historic" funeral proceedings in Tehran for top military commanders and nuclear scientists killed during the 12-day war. Ahead of the mass funeral, the Iranian state media have released the photos of the coffins carrying the dead bodies of senior military commanders and officials killed in the airstrikes. The images purportedly show the coffins of Iran's top general Mohammad Bagheri; Iran Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) chief commander Hossein Salami; Aerospace Force commander Amir-Ali Hajizadeh; Khatam al-Anbiya commander Gholam-Ali Rashid and his successor Ali Shadmani; IRGC Quds Force Palestine Corps chief Saeed Izadi; and Saeed Borji, who was known as the figure behind Iran's nuclear detonation technology. Iranian state media have released the first photos of the coffins of senior military commanders and officials killed in Israeli airstrikes, just two hours ahead of their mass funeral in downtown images purportedly show the bodies of Iran's top general Mohammad… — Iran International English (@IranIntl_En) June 28, 2025 AFP reported. The commemorations will be followed by a funeral procession to Azadi Square, about 11 km away. He added that Saturday, June 28, would be 'a historic day for Islamic Iran and the revolution." General Mohammad Bagheri, a major general in IRGC and the second-in-command of the armed forces after Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was among those killed in Israel strikes under Operation Lion. He would be laid to rest alongside his wife and daughter, a journalist for a local media outlet, the news agency said. Nuclear scientist Mohammad Mehdi Tehranchi, who was also killed in the attacks, will be buried with his wife. Other high-ranking military officials will be buried in state-organised ceremonies in their home towns including Qom, Hamedan and Mashhad. Israel targeted and killed more than 20 high-ranking military officials during the 12-day war, some of them in their homes. It is expected that President Massoud Peseshkian will attend the funeral procession, but not the country's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Over 600 Killed In Iran Since June 13 The conflict between Iran and Israel broke out on June 13 when Israel launched strikes that it said were aimed at halting Iran from developing a nuclear weapon. Over 30 top commanders of IRGC, including its commander-in-chief Hossein Salami and the head of its aerospace forces, Amirali Hajizadeh, were killed in the strikes. The Iranian health ministry has said that over 627 people have been killed and around 4,900 have been injured in the Israeli attacks. Meanwhile, 28 people have been killed in the Iranian strikes in Israel. First Published: June 28, 2025, 08:38 IST
Mint
8 hours ago
- Politics
- Mint
Game of Thrones meets geopolitics: All about how Israel's 'Red Wedding' strike decimated Iran's military elite
In an audacious strike dubbed "Operation Red Wedding" by Israeli planners, inspired by Game of Thrones' infamous betrayal scene, Israel assassinated Iran's top military commanders and nuclear scientists in a meticulously coordinated June 13 assault. The operation, reportedly years in the making, saw drones and missiles rain down on Tehran simultaneously, killing Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) chief Hossein Salami, Armed Forces Chief Mohammad Bagheri, and nine leading nuclear scientists critical to Iran's uranium enrichment program. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu orchestrated an elaborate deception to lull Iran into complacency, even postponing his son's wedding while leaking false rifts with the U.S. over military action. This ruse ensured key targets—unaware and gathered in vulnerable locations, were eliminated in minutes. The attack leveraged decades of intelligence gathering, including smuggled explosives and drones hidden in suitcases, and built on prior 2024 strikes that disabled Iran's air defenses. As chaos engulfed Tehran, Netanyahu watched from an Israeli bunker, later declaring the mission had "shattered Iran's threat." President Donald Trump followed Israel's "decapitation" strike with a devastating U.S. bombardment, dropping 30,000-pound "bunker buster" bombs on Iran's Fordow and Isfahan nuclear facilities. Trump claimed the strikes "obliterated" Iran's nuclear program, but assessments revealed a more complex reality. While Fordow's centrifuges were destroyed by shockwaves, Iran's stockpiles of highly enriched uranium remained intact and were likely moved before the attack . The IAEA confirmed "enormous damage" but noted inspectors were barred from sites, while Iran's Foreign Ministry admitted nuclear facilities were "badly damaged" . The human toll soared to 1,054 deaths in Iran, including 318 military personnel and civilians, with Israel suffering 28 fatalities . Tehran retaliated with over 550 missiles, but 90% were intercepted by Israel's air defenses, though key economic hubs faced unprecedented disruption. Amid the rubble, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei emerged from hiding to defiantly vow Iran would "never surrender," even as his regime grappled with internal fractures and a bill suspending all cooperation with UN nuclear monitors .
Nahar Net
14 hours ago
- Politics
- Nahar Net
Iran to hold 'historic' funeral for slain top military, nuclear figures
by Naharnet Newsdesk 27 June 2025, 16:15 Iran will hold what it described as "historic" funeral proceedings in Tehran on Saturday for 60 killed in its 12-day war with Israel, including top military commanders and nuclear scientists. The commemorations will begin at 0800 local time (0430 GMT) at Enghelab (Revolution) Square in central Tehran, followed by a funeral procession to Azadi (Freedom) Square, about 11 kilometers (7 miles) away. "A brief ceremony will be held there, then the processions of the martyrs will go toward Azadi Square," said Mohsen Mahmoudi, head of Tehran's Islamic Development Coordination Council, in a televised interview Friday. "Tomorrow will be a historic day for Islamic Iran and the revolution," he added. Among the dead is General Mohammad Bagheri, a major general in Iran's Revolutionary Guards and the second-in-command of the armed forces after supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. He will be buried alongside his wife and daughter, a journalist for a local media outlet, all killed in an Israeli attack. Nuclear scientist Mohammad Mehdi Tehranchi, also killed in the attacks, will be buried with his wife. Four women and four children are among those to be honored at the funeral ceremony. The war erupted on June 13 when Israel launched strikes that it said were aimed at halting Iran from developing a nuclear weapon -- a charge Tehran denies. Israeli strikes killed at least 30 top commanders of Iran's Revolutionary Guards, according to local media, including its commander-in-chief Hossein Salami and the head of its aerospace forces, Amirali Hajizadeh, who oversaw the country's ballistic missile program. So far, there is no indication that Khamenei will attend the funeral on Saturday. He has previously attended ceremonies for high-ranking Iranian authorities, including late president Ebrahim Raisi, who died in a helicopter crash last year. The Iranian health ministry says at least 627 civilians were killed and nearly 4,900 wounded in the Israeli attacks. Iran's strikes on Israel also killed 28 people, according to Israeli authorities.
