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Tehran, June 28 (EFE) - Iran held on Saturday the funerals of 60 people, including senior military officials and nuclear scientists, who died in Israeli attacks in the 12-day war, in a massive ceremony attended by thousands of people in Tehran and which it described as "a message to the world".
The funeral ceremony began in Enghelab (Revolution) Square with the verse from the Quran: "Indeed, God defends those who have believed. Know that God does not love the traitor or the ungrateful," reported the Iranian agency IRNA.
After the ceremony in Enghelab, the procession headed to Azadi Square (Freedom), located about five kilometers away, a distance that was covered in more than four hours amidst a sea of people waving Iranian flags and shouting "death to America" and "death to Israel."
Iranian state media put the number of people attending the funerals at "one million", an extreme that has not been confirmed by independent sources.
"Neither surrender nor compromise with the United States," also resounded as the coffins covered with flags circulated through the capital adorned with photos of the deceased as well as rose petals and people who approached to touch them.
Among those who died whose funeral was held today were the commander of the Revolutionary Guard, General Hosein Salamí; the Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces, General Mohamad Hosein Baqerí, or the nuclear scientist Mehdi Tehranchi, among others.
In total, 60 people were buried today, including 30 soldiers, four children, and four women, who are part of the 627 deaths in the 12 days of war, according to official data.
Their burials will take place between today and tomorrow in various Iranian cities.
A message to the world
The Foreign Ministry described the high number of attendees at the funerals as a "message to the world" and a "demonstration of the people's loyalty." "This funeral was not just a farewell ritual, it represented the unity of a nation that responded to the assassination with the language of presence," it indicated in a statement. High-ranking officials from the Persian country participated in the funeral procession, as was the case with the President of Iran, Masud Pezeshkian; the commander of the Quds Force of the Revolutionary Guard, Esmail Qaani, or the President of the Parliament, Mohamad Baqer Qalibaf, among others. He also appeared in public for the first time at the funeral procession of Ali Shamkhani, advisor to the supreme leader, Ali Khamenei, who was presumed dead in the early days of the conflict that began on June 13. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi joined the funerals hours after asking US President Donald Trump to abandon the "disrespectful and unacceptable tone" towards Khamenei if he wants to close a nuclear deal with the Persian country. "If President Trump really wants a (nuclear) deal, he should set aside the disrespectful and unacceptable tone towards the supreme leader of Iran, the great Ayatollah Jamenei, and stop hurting his millions of most sincere followers," Araqchi said on X early in the morning. "Goodwill generates goodwill, and respect generates respect," he added. The spokesman for the Revolutionary Guard, Ali Mohamad Naeini, also had words for the American president for what he called his "reckless rhetoric". "Our advice to Trump is to open his eyes and stop speaking without basis and behaving erratically," said the military official, in statements reported by Iranian media. Those messages are produced after Trump stated yesterday that he saved Jameneí's life by not revealing his whereabouts to Israel and not ordering the US armed forces to attack him. "I saved him from a horrible and ignominious death, and he doesn't have to say "THANK YOU, PRESIDENT TRUMP!"", Trump stated on Truth. Furthermore, he did not rule out attacking Iran's nuclear facilities again if he receives credible intelligence reports confirming a new enrichment of uranium to "worrying levels". Israel launched an offensive against Iran on June 13 and the two countries exchanged attacks for 12 days, while the United States attacked three Iranian nuclear facilities. According to official data, the war left a balance of at least 28 civilian deaths in Israel and 627 in Iran, and concluded with a ceasefire mediated by the United States that came into effect last Tuesday. Jaime León
