Hundreds of thousands of mourners gathered in the streets of Tehran today for the funerals of the head of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps and other commanders of the unit, as well as scientists who were killed during Iran’s conflict with Israel.
Coffins carrying the remains of Generals Hossein Salami, Amir Ali Hajizadeh and others passed through Tehran in trucks, with citizens in the procession chanting “Death to America” and “Death to Israel.”
Salami and Hajizadeh were killed on the first day of the war, June 13, when Israel launched what it said was a war aimed at destroying Iran’s nuclear program, specifically targeting military commanders, scientists and nuclear facilities.
Iranian state media reported that more than a million people gathered for the procession, a claim that has not been independently confirmed.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi was seen on the street, and state television reported that General Esmail Qaani, who heads the Revolutionary Guards’ foreign wing, was among the mourners.
The Iranian Revolutionary Guards were founded after the 1979 Islamic Revolution and have since grown from a paramilitary force into a transnational force.
They operate alongside Iran’s existing military and control the country’s ballistic missile arsenal.
Israel has claimed to have killed around 30 Iranian commanders and 11 nuclear researchers in attacks on eight nuclear sites and more than 720 military infrastructure facilities.
Iran has fired more than 550 ballistic missiles at Israel, most of which have been intercepted, but which have still killed around 28 people.
Today’s ceremonies are the first public funerals since the ceasefire, and Iranian state television reported that burials were held for a total of 60 people, including four women and four children.
Authorities closed government offices to allow civil servants to attend the ceremonies.
