On Saturday, hundreds of thousands of mourners gathered in downtown Tehran for the state funerals of military leaders and nuclear scientists who were killed in a recent conflict with Israel. The procession included the caskets of prominent figures such as Gen. Hossein Salami, the head of the Revolutionary Guard, and Gen. Amir Ali Hajizadeh, known for leading the Guard’s ballistic missile program. As trucks transported the caskets along Azadi Street, the crowd shouted slogans condemning the United States and Israel.
Both Salami and Hajizadeh lost their lives on the war’s first day, June 13, amid an Israeli offensive aimed at dismantling Iran’s nuclear capabilities by targeting key military personnel and facilities. Iranian state media reported a turnout exceeding one million attendees for the funeral, although this figure could not be independently verified. The large crowd filled nearly three miles of the main thoroughfare in Tehran, but there was no indication of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s presence during the ceremonies.
Khamenei has not appeared publicly since just before the war commenced. The Revolutionary Guard, established after Iran’s 1979 Islamic Revolution, has redefined its role from a domestic security force to a transnational military entity supporting Tehran’s allies across the region. In the course of the 12-day conflict before a ceasefire was reached, Israel claimed it had killed around 30 Iranian commanders and 11 nuclear scientists and targeted multiple military sites.
Meanwhile, Iran launched over 550 ballistic missiles at Israel, resulting in some fatalities and damage. The funerals were significant as they marked the first public remembrance of high-ranking officials since the ceasefire, with state media indicating that a total of 60 individuals, including four women and children, were commemorated. Many mourners expressed anger and defiance, viewing the ceasefire merely as a temporary state.
Amid these sentiments, the Iranian judiciary confirmed the death of a key prosecutor linked to human rights abuses. As the state mourned its losses, Khamenei issued a pre-recorded message following the conflict, asserting Iran’s continued strength and dismissing the impact of US strikes on nuclear sites, suggesting Iran’s capabilities remained intact.