Iran Holds Funerals for Military Leaders and Nuclear Scientists
Iran conducted funerals for top military commanders and nuclear scientists who lost their lives during the recent 12-day conflict with Israel. Among those honored were Prime Minister Hossain Salami and General Amir Ali Hajizadeh, head of the IRGC’s ballistic missile program. Attendees at the funeral in Tehran were vocally critical, chanting “death to America” and “death to Israel.”
On June 13, with the commencement of Israel’s Operation Raizinglion, it was reported that Salami, Hajizadeh, and Golam Ali Rashid, commander of Qatam al-Ambya (emergency command), had been killed. Following this, Israel claimed to have eliminated nine senior nuclear scientists along with over twenty Iranian commanders.
The caskets at the funeral were draped in Iranian flags and adorned with photographs of the deceased. A heavy truck transported the coffins through central Tehran, eliciting responses from a crowd dressed in black and waving flags. The turnout may suggest that the government’s internal crackdowns are starting to resonate with the public, as many Iranians felt compelled to mourn their fallen leaders.
While Iranian President Masuud Pezeskian and other high-ranking officials were present, their responses were somewhat subdued.
Iran’s Government Response After the War
In the aftermath of the conflict with Israel, reports indicate that Iran has intensified efforts against internal dissent. There have been numerous accounts of mass arrests and executions of individuals suspected of spying for Israel.
A senior advisor in Iranian financial economics, Gasseminehad, emphasized that the current administration seeks to instill fear among the populace through harsh measures, suggesting that the conflict has revealed the Iranian regime as increasingly vulnerable.
Human Rights Activist News Agency (Hrana) reported that on Monday, 705 individuals were detained in Iran on political or security grounds. Furthermore, Fars News Inc. indicated that around 700 of these arrested individuals were allegedly linked to Israel.
Nonprofit organizations such as Iranian Human Rights (IHR) expressed concerns that at least six inmates on death row, accused of spying for Israel, are at imminent risk of execution. The organization noted that at least nine executions have been carried out this year under similar allegations.
