Latest news with #statefuneral
Yahoo
5 hours ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Iran holds state funeral for military leaders killed in Israel conflict
A state funeral is taking place in Iran for about 60 people, including military commanders and nuclear scientists, killed during the 12-day conflict with Israel. Coffins draped in the Iranian flag, bearing portraits of deceased commanders, were flanked by crowds near Tehran's Enghelab Square. The conflict ended with a ceasefire earlier this week, after the US became directly involved by bombing key nuclear sites in Iran. Huge crowds of mourners dressed in black chanted slogans, waved Iranian flags and held portraits of those killed. Ahead of the event, a media campaign urged people to participate, with authorities providing free bus and metro rides. Government offices were shut for the day. Among those being laid to rest is Mohammad Bagheri, the highest-ranking military officer in Iran who was chief of staff of Iran's armed forces. Bagheri will be buried with his wife and daughter, who were killed in an Israeli strike. In total, Iranian authorities said 627 people were killed in Iran. Israeli officials said 28 people were killed in Israel following missile attacks by Iran. Saturday's funeral also includes Hossein Salami, commander-in-chief of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards, as well as a number of nuclear scientists such as Mohammad Mehdi Tehranchi, who was head of Azad University in Tehran. It comes after US President Donald Trump said he would "absolutely" consider bombing Iran again. Responding to a question from the BBC's Nomia Iqbal at a White House press briefing on Friday, he said he would "without question" attack the country if intelligence concluded Iran could enrich uranium to concerning levels. Trump has also repeated his assertions that Iran was "decimated", writing: "Why would the so-called 'Supreme Leader' Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, of the war-torn country of Iran, say so blatantly and foolishly that he won the war with Israel, when he knows his statement is a lie." Trump also claimed to have known "exactly where he [Khamenei] was sheltered", saying he "would not let Israel, or the US 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!'", Trump posted on his Truth Social platform. Iran's foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, warned Trump against making "disrespectful" comments about Khamenei, who claimed US and Israeli strikes on Iranian nuclear sites had achieved "nothing significant". "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 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." Araghchi has admitted that "excessive and serious" damage was done to Iran's nuclear sites by the recent bombings. The head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has said it is still not known how much of Iran's nuclear capabilities - including highly-enriched uranium and the centrifuges needed to purify the metal - have been destroyed or moved. The agency's director general Rafael Grossi also said that stopping Iran from being able to build nuclear weapons would not be achieved through military attacks. "You are not going to solve this in a definitive way militarily, you are going to have an agreement," he told the BBC's US partner CBS News. On social media, Trump claimed that in recent days he had been "working on the possible removal of sanctions, and other things, which would have given a much better chance to Iran at a full, fast, and complete recovery". But he said Khamenei's comments had deterred him, declaring: "Instead I get hit with a statement of anger, hatred, and disgust, and immediately dropped all work on sanction relief, and more." Tehran is coming back to life, but its residents are deeply shaken Who were the Iranian commanders killed in Israel's attack? Iran carries out wave of arrests and executions in wake of Israel conflict
Al Jazeera
6 hours ago
- Politics
- Al Jazeera
Thousands mourn top Iranian commanders, scientists killed by Israel
A state funeral service is under way in Iran for about 60 people, including military commanders, killed in Israeli attacks, with thousands joining the ceremony in the capital, Tehran. State TV showed footage of people donning black clothes, waving Iranian flags and holding pictures of the slain head of the Revolutionary Guard, other top commanders and nuclear scientists in the ceremony that started at 8am (04:30 GMT) on Saturday. Images from central Tehran showed coffins draped in Iranian flags and bearing portraits of the deceased commanders in uniform. The United States had carried out strikes on three Iranian nuclear sites last weekend, joining its ally Israel's bombardments of Iran in the 12-day war launched on June 13. Both Israel and Iran claimed victory in the war that ended with a ceasefire on Tuesday, with Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei downplaying the US strikes, claiming Trump had 'exaggerated events in unusual ways', and rejecting US claims that Iran's nuclear programme had been set back by decades. The coffins of the Guard's chief General Hossein Salami, the head of the Guard's ballistic missile programme, General Amir Ali Hajizadeh, and others were driven on trucks along the capital's Azadi Street as people in the crowds chanted: 'Death to America' and 'Death to Israel'. Salami and Hajizadeh were both killed on the first day of the war, which Israel said was meant to destroy Iran's nuclear programme. Mohammad Bagheri, a major-general in Iran's Revolutionary Guard, as well as top nuclear scientist Mohammad Mehdi Tehranchi were also killed in Israeli attacks. Saturday's ceremonies were the first public funerals for top commanders since the ceasefire, and Iranian state television reported that they were for 60 people in total, including four women and four children. Authorities closed government offices to allow public servants to attend the ceremonies. War of words The state funeral comes a day after US President Donald Trump launched a tirade on his Truth Social platform, blasting Khamenei for claiming in a video address that Iran had won the war. Trump also claimed to have known 'EXACTLY where he (Khamenei) was sheltered, and would not let Israel, or the US Armed Forces… terminate his life'. He claimed he had been working in recent days on the possible removal of sanctions against Iran, but he dropped it after Khamenei's remarks. Hitting back at Trump on Saturday, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on X: 'If President Trump is genuine about wanting a deal, he should put aside the disrespectful and unacceptable tone towards Iran's Supreme Leader.' Al Jazeera's Resul Serdar, reporting from Tehran, said Araghchi's remarks were 'a most expected reaction' to Trump's social media posts. 'Many Iranian people regard him [Khamenei] as chiefly a religious leader, but according to the constitution, he's not only that – he's the political leader, he's the military leader – he's simply the head of state in Iran,' he said. Serdar also said Khamenei's position is not just the top of a hierarchy, but a divine role in Shia political theology. 'Not only in Iran, but across the world, we know there are a significant number of Shia who look for his guidance,' Serdar said. 'Anyone who knows that would be meticulously careful not to publicly criticise him, and particularly not to accuse him of lying.' No nuclear talks planned There was no immediate sign of Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, in the state broadcast of the funeral. Khamenei, who has not made a public appearance since before the outbreak of the war, has in past funerals held prayers for fallen commanders over their coffins before the open ceremonies, later aired on state television. During the 12 days before the ceasefire, Israel claimed it killed about 30 Iranian commanders and 11 nuclear scientists, while hitting eight nuclear-related facilities and more than 720 military infrastructure sites. Iran fired more than 550 ballistic missiles at Israel, most of which were intercepted, but those that got through caused damage in many areas and killed 28 people, according to Israeli figures. The Israeli attacks on Iran killed at least 627 civilians, Tehran's Ministry of Health and Medical Education said. After the US strikes, Trump said negotiations on Iran's nuclear programme for a new deal were set to restart next week, but Tehran denied there were plans for a resumption.
CNN
6 hours ago
- Politics
- CNN
Iran mourns victims of conflict with Israel
Iran held a state funeral for IRGC commanders, nuclear scientists and civilians killed during the country's 12 day conflict with Israel. At least 60 people will be buried at the funeral in Tehran, according to state-affiliated media.
CNN
6 hours ago
- Politics
- CNN
Iran mourns victims of conflict with Israel
Iran held a state funeral for IRGC commanders, nuclear scientists and civilians killed during the country's 12 day conflict with Israel. At least 60 people will be buried at the funeral in Tehran, according to state-affiliated media.
CNA
7 hours ago
- Politics
- CNA
Iran holds state funeral for top brass slain in war with Israel
TEHRAN: Iran held a state funeral service on Saturday (Jun 28) 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 started at 8am local time (0430 GMT) in the capital Tehran as government offices and many businesses were closed on Saturday for the occasion. "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. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, as well as other senior government officials, also attended the event. Images showed coffins draped in Iranian flags and bearing portraits of the deceased commanders in uniform near Enghelab Square in central Tehran. The United States 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 Jun 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 on 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. "HISTORIC" STATE FUNERAL The ceremony in Tehran "to honour the martyrs" will be followed by a funeral procession to Azadi Square, about 11km 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. "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 on Friday that 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.
