Tehran witnessed a massive funeral procession on Saturday as thousands of mourners gathered to honour 60 people killed during this month’s deadly aerial conflict with Israel. Among the dead were 16 nuclear scientists and 10 top military commanders, including Major General Mohammad Bagheri, General Hossein Salami, and General Amir Ali Hajizadeh. Coffins draped in Iranian flags and photos were paraded through Azadi Square, with crowds waving flags, throwing rose petals, and offering prayers.

Dubbed the “Procession of the Martyrs of Power,” the ceremony also commemorated four women and four children. State-run media displayed ballistic missiles at the square, while mass prayers were held in their memory. President Masoud Pezeshkian, senior advisor Ali Shamkhani, and Mojtaba Khamenei, son of Iran’s Supreme Leader, attended the funeral. Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi praised the nation's resistance, stating Iranians had “protected their honour and dignity.”

The conflict erupted on June 13, when Israel launched an aerial assault targeting Iran’s nuclear infrastructure and military leaders, resulting in the Islamic Republic’s heaviest loss since the Iran-Iraq war. Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has not made a public appearance since the escalation, raising speculation amid the ongoing crisis.