In Tehran, the holy shrine of Abdul Azim al-Hasani became the site of deep sorrow and steadfast pride, where mourners accompanied the coffins of General Hossein Salami, the former IRGC Commander-in-Chief, and General Masoud Shaneh’i, in a moving ceremony filled with prayers and anti-Zionist chants.
Meanwhile, the streets of Hamedan witnessed another powerful procession for General Ali Shadmani, a senior commander at the Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters. His coffin, draped in the Iranian flag, was carried from Imam Khomeini Square toward the Martyrs’ Cemetery, with crowds pledging to continue his path.
Elsewhere in the capital, in Behesht Zahra Cemetery, two more heroes — General Amir Ali Hajizadeh, former commander of the IRGC Aerospace Force, and General Mahmoud Bagheri — were buried side by side in section 50. In section 24, General Hassan Mohaqeq was laid to rest, while Martyr Rabani and his family, victims of the same Israeli assault, were buried following a ceremony at the Nodbeh Prayer Hall.
Yet the mourning began a day earlier. On Saturday, General Mohammad Bagheri, Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces, was buried in Tehran alongside his wife and daughter, who were also martyred in the attacks. Their resting place lies next to that of his brother, Martyr Hassan Bagheri, another legend of Iran’s defense legacy. The funeral, attended by millions, became a symbol of national dignity and defiance.
The farewell ceremonies will continue on Monday in Dezful, where General Gholam-Ali Rashid, commander of the Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters, and his son will be laid to rest among their people.
These days of mourning were triggered by a sudden and criminal act of aggression: In the early hours of Friday, June 14, the Zionist regime, with direct support from the United States, launched coordinated airstrikes on Iranian territory. The attack occurred even as nuclear negotiations were in progress — a move widely condemned as a betrayal of diplomacy and international norms.
Among the martyrs of this unprecedented assault were not only Iran’s senior military leaders, but also nuclear scientists, academics, and civilians. Figures like Mohammad Mehdi Tehranchi, Fereydoun Abbasi, and Seyyed Amir Hossein Faghihi were killed alongside generals who had spent decades safeguarding Iran’s sovereignty.
Despite the heavy losses, Iran responded swiftly and decisively. The Armed Forces carried out multiple precision strikes, delivering irreparable blows to Israeli military infrastructure. After 12 days of heavy conflict, it was Israel — bruised and cornered — that turned to Washington for mediation and agreed to a ceasefire on Tuesday, June 24.
But even more powerful than the military response was the voice of the Iranian people. Through tears and tributes, their message was clear: Iran mourns, but it does not kneel. In every funeral procession, from Tehran to Dezful, the nation spoke with one voice — a voice of resistance, resolve, and reverence for those who gave their lives in defense of the homeland.
ahmad shirzadian
