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Tehran's streets turned solemn on Saturday as tens of thousands mourned the deaths of 60 Iranians, including senior military commanders, nuclear scientists, and civilians, in a state funeral that marked the devastating toll of the 12-day war with Israel. The procession, dubbed the "Martyrs of Power", unfolded near Azadi and Enghelab Squares, where flag-draped coffins were paraded through a sea of black-clad mourners.
Among those honored were Major General Mohammad Bagheri, the Islamic Republic's armed forces chief; General Hossein Salami, commander-in-chief of the Revolutionary Guards; and General Amir Ali Hajizadeh, head of the Guards' Aerospace Force. State media confirmed the deaths occurred on June 13, the war's opening day, following Israeli airstrikes targeting Iranian nuclear facilities and military leadership.
President Masoud Pezeshkian, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, and Khamenei's close adviser Ali Shamkhani, who was wounded during the conflict, attended the funeral. The absence of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who has not appeared publicly since the conflict began, raised speculation amid ongoing uncertainty. "Today, Iranians, through heroic resistance, protected their dignity against nuclear-armed regimes," Araghchi stated on Telegram.
Iran's retaliatory missile attacks on Israeli cities and bases prompted U.S. intervention. On June 22, American forces struck Iranian nuclear infrastructure. The war, which ended Tuesday in a U.S.-brokered ceasefire, claimed at least 610 Iranian lives according to health ministry figures, though the activist agency HRANA reports 974 deaths, including 387 civilians. Over 4,700 were injured. Israel reported 28 dead and over 3,200 wounded.
International Atomic Energy Agency chief Rafael Grossi acknowledged ongoing uncertainty regarding the extent of damage to Iran's nuclear program. "You are not going to solve this militarily... there must be an agreement," he told CBS News, casting doubt on the strategy behind the strikes.
U.S. President Donald Trump, speaking Friday at the White House, said he would "without question" bomb Iran again if intelligence showed it was enriching uranium to dangerous levels. He also claimed to have halted potential sanction relief talks due to Khamenei's "lies and hostility."
In response, Araghchi warned against what he termed "disrespectful rhetoric," asserting that U.S. and Israeli forces had "failed to achieve their stated objectives." As the coffins were laid to rest, Iran's resolve remained firm, its leadership vowing continued resistance and asserting that the fight for sovereignty is far from over.
