Iran: Mass funeral in Tehran for Larijani and other officials killed in strikes
Coffins draped in Iranian flags were paraded through central Tehran streets on trucks, as mourners waved portraits and banners proclaiming vengeance. The ceremony, broadcast live by state television, marked one of the largest public gatherings in Iran since the conflict escalated in late February 2026. Among those commemorated were Ali Larijani, Iran’s national security chief, killed in an Israeli airstrike near Tehran, Gholamreza Soleimani, Basij paramilitary commander, and 84 sailors from the frigate IRIS Dena, torpedoed by a US submarine near Sri Lanka on 4 March. Thirty-two sailors were rescued, with about 20 still missing. Iranian officials and IRGC leaders attended, delivering speeches vowing retaliation against the United States and Israel. The event coincided with Iran’s counterstrikes on Tel Aviv, highlighting the conflict’s widening regional fallout.
