Iran Holds State Funeral for 60 Military, Scientific Leaders Killed in Israel Conflict

Thousands of mourners gathered in Tehran for a state funeral honoring around 60 people, including top Iranian military commanders and nuclear scientists, who were killed during a recent 12-day conflict with Israel. The funeral procession, which included coffins draped in Iranian flags and bearing portraits of the deceased such as Revolutionary Guard chief Gen. Hossein Salami and Major General Mohammad Bagheri, took place along major streets like Azadi and Enghelab, with crowds chanting slogans against Israel and the United States. This conflict saw Israel targeting Iran's nuclear sites, military leaders, and ballistic missile programs, claiming to prevent Iran from threatening Israel, while Iran retaliated with hundreds of ballistic missile strikes. The war concluded with a ceasefire after the U.S. directly intervened by bombing key Iranian nuclear sites. Iranian officials, including President Masoud Pezeshkian and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, attended the funeral, amid heightened tensions fueled by U.S. President Donald Trump's statements threatening further military action against Iran. Trump's remarks, which criticized Iran's leadership and suggested readiness to bomb again if uranium enrichment crossed concerning levels, were condemned by Iranian diplomats as unacceptable.