Iran holds mass funeral for top Iranian officials killed in Israel strikes, minister warns Trump against further threats

The BBC said the coffins, draped in Iranian flags, were carried through central Tehran, where large crowds gathered near Enghelab and Azadi squares. Many chanted slogans such as “Death to America” and “Death to Israel.”

A man holds a picture of Iran’s late head of the Revolutionary Guard’s ballistic missile program, Gen. Amir Ali Hajizadeh during the funeral ceremony of him, some other Iranian armed forces generals, nuclear scientists and their family members, who were killed in a 12-day war with Israel, in Tehran, Iran, Saturday, June 28, 2025. (AP)

The war began on June 13 after Israeli strikes targeted Iranian military commanders and nuclear sites. Iran responded by firing more than 550 missiles at Israel, according to Israeli officials. The Israeli army said it killed 30 senior Iranian military figures and 11 nuclear scientists and struck hundreds of sites linked to Iran’s weapons programme.

Iran said 627 people were killed in the country, including civilians, while 28 people died in Israel. The conflict led to a US intervention, with airstrikes on Iranian nuclear sites.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi attended the funeral and warned US President Donald Trump against making further threats. “If President Trump is genuine about wanting a deal, he should put aside the disrespectful and unacceptable tone towards Iran’s Supreme Leader,” Araghchi posted on X.

Trump has made several remarks about the conflict and Iran’s leadership. When asked by the BBC during a White House briefing on Friday if he would bomb Iran again, he said: “Absolutely.” He added he would “without question” act if US intelligence found Iran was enriching uranium at dangerous levels.

On his social media platform Truth Social, Trump said he had been “working on the possible removal of sanctions” but stopped after hearing Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei claim victory. Trump wrote that he saved Khamenei from an “ugly death,” and didn’t receive words of gratitude. “Instead I get hit with a statement of anger, hatred, and disgust, and immediately dropped all work on sanction relief, and more.”

Mourners attend the funeral ceremony of the Iranian armed forces generals, nuclear scientists and their family members who were killed in Israeli strikes, in Tehran, Iran, Saturday, June 28, 2025. (AP)

Trump also claimed he knew Khamenei’s location during the war and “saved him from a very ugly and ignominious death.”

Iran has suspended cooperation with the UN nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). The head of the agency, Rafael Grossi, told CBS News that damage to Iran’s nuclear facilities, including the underground Fordow site, was “very considerable” but warned that military action would not stop nuclear development. “You are not going to solve this in a definitive way militarily, you are going to have an agreement,” he said.

Although Iran’s parliament has voted to halt cooperation with the IAEA, Araghchi hinted on X that Iran might be open to new talks.

Ayatollah Khamenei has not appeared in public since the war began, though he issued a pre-recorded message after the ceasefire, saying that US and Israeli attacks had achieved “nothing significant.”

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