Multitudes of Iranians grieve over slain high-ranking Iranian military officials and scientists who lost their lives in Israeli attacks.
Rowdy Streets of Tehran Grieve the Dead
In the heart of Tehran, grief packed the air as hundreds of thousands poured onto the streets in Saturday's funeral procession. The fallen were top commanders and scientists of Iran's Revolutionary Guard, along with nuclear experts, all victims of a 12-day war with Israel in June, a conflict that Israel said aimed to stomp out Iran's nuclear ambitions.
Trucks bearing the caskets of Gen. Hossein Salami, head of the Revolutionary Guard, Gen. Amir Ali Hajizadeh, leader of the ballistic missile program, and others, wound their way through the capital's Azadi Street. The crowd, a sea of mourners, chanted, "Death to America" and "Death to Israel," as their anguish reverberated down the thoroughfare.
The war, initiated by Israel, took place on June 13, with the stated goal of dismantling Iran's nuclear program, focusing notably on military commanders, scientists, and nuclear facilities. Public appearances from Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, seemed conspicuously absent during the funeral broadcast.
Iran's Revolutionary Guard, founded following the Islamic Revolution, evolved from a domestic security force to a transnational powerhouse, backing Tehran's allies from Syria to Iraq. In 12 relentless days, Israel claimed to have annihilated around 30 Iranian commanders and 11 nuclear scientists, in addition to damaging 8 nuclear-related facilities and over 720 military infrastructure sites. The Human Rights Activists group estimated more than 1,000 fatalities, with at least 417 civilians among them.
The city streets were impassable, as more than a million mourners, according to state media, filled the streets and crowded the main Tehran route, stretching over four and a half kilometers. Among the crowd, Iran's Foreign Minister, Abbas Araghchi, along with Gen. Esmail Qaani, head of the Quds Force, and Gen. Ali Shamkhani, attended the solemn event.
Created after the Islamic Revolution, the Revolutionary Guard has proven to be a vital component of Iran's military-industrial complex and regional influence. Losing key figures in the organization, such as those mourned Saturday, represents a substantial loss to operational capability and strategic planning. The Revolutionary Guard's influence reaches beyond its borders, extending to regional powers like Hamas, Hezbollah, Houthis, and various Shiite-backed militias.
The conflict dealt a severe blow to Iran's nuclear ambitions and its ballistic missile capabilities. While the specific names of those killed during the war are not explicitly detailed, their significant roles and the strategic importance of the facilities targeted imply that this was part of Israel’s tactical approach to degrade Iran's nuclear and military capabilities.
"Whatever they do, we will definitely give a crushing response," said 43-year-old Ahmad Mousapoor, waving an Iranian flag, reflective of the defiant feelings expressed during the funeral.
State media published images of an open grave plot at Tehran's sprawling Behesht-e-Zahra cemetery, where Army Chief of Staff Gen. Mohammad Bagheri, killed in the initial onslaught, was to be buried beside his brother, a Guards commander killed during the 1980s Iran-Iraq war. Many of the others were to be laid to rest in their hometowns.
The judiciary's Mizan news agency confirmed that the top prosecutor at the notorious Evin prison had been killed in an Israeli strike on Monday, with plans for his burial at a shrine in Qom. Historically, Iran has maintained that its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes, though Israel views it as an existential threat, and the conflict once again underscored this tension.
In the wake of the war, questions remain concerning possible talks between the United Nations nuclear watchdog agency, Iran, and the United States. Despite the destruction of critical nuclear infrastructure and the loss of high-value personnel, Iran has suspended collaboration with the International Atomic Energy Agency and expressed a cautious willingness to engage in talks. Tensions simmer between Iran and the United States, both longtime adversaries, as warning and threats are traded between their respective leaders.
[Enrichment Data]During the 12-day war between Israel and Iran in June 2025, Israel conducted targeted strikes against Iranian nuclear facilities and Revolutionary Guard personnel, severely undermining Iran's nuclear enrichment capabilities and its proxy network. The war disabled key Revolutionary Guard figures and nuclear experts, significantly impacting Iran's nuclear capabilities and the Revolutionary Guard's strategic operations, as principles of regional power projection and proxy Warfare were at stake.
The death of Gen. Hossein Salami, Gen. Amir Ali Hajizadeh, and other important figures in Iran's Revolutionary Guard resulted from a war with Israel in June, a conflict that was primarily about Israel's attempt to curb Iran's nuclear ambitions.
During this war, Israel also targeted Iran's news channels, interrupting the normal flow of general news and war-and-conflicts updates with footage of video clips showcasing the destruction of nuclear facilities and Revolutionary Guard bases.
Following the conflict, Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has been actively involved in politics, making public appearances and signals about the country's future strategies, emphasizing the importance of rebuilding the Revolutionary Guard's strength.
