Iran holds mass funeral for top commanders, nuclear scientists killed by Israel

Iran held a large state funeral on Saturday for approximately 60 individuals,  including senior military officials and nuclear scientists, who died during the recent 12-day confrontation with Israel.

Crowds gathered near Enghelab Square in Tehran, where coffins adorned with Iranian flags and images of the deceased were carried through the streets in a solemn procession.

The mourning ceremony followed a ceasefire brokered earlier this week, after the United States entered the conflict and launched airstrikes on Iranian nuclear facilities.

Dressed in black, thousands of mourners chanted slogans, waved national flags, and held up photos of the dead.

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Authorities had encouraged mass turnout through a media push, offering free transportation on buses and the metro. Government offices were closed to allow for participation.

Among the dead is General Mohammad Bagheri, Iran’s top military officer and the chief of staff of the armed forces. He is being buried alongside his wife and daughter, both of whom died in an Israeli airstrike.

According to Iranian officials, the conflict resulted in 627 deaths on their side, while Israel reported 28 casualties from retaliatory missile attacks.

Also being laid to rest are Hossein Salami, head of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps, and nuclear physicist Mohammad Mehdi Tehranchi, who led Tehran’s Azad University.

Meanwhile, U.S. President Donald Trump has indicated a willingness to launch further attacks if Iran is found to be enriching uranium to threatening levels.

At a White House briefing on Friday, when asked by BBC’s Nomia Iqbal whether he would consider bombing Iran again, Trump responded he would “without question” if intelligence reports justified it.