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Massive public funeral bids farewell to Irans security chief Basij chief and Dena victims

· 3 min read

Massive public funeral bids farewell to Iran’s security chief, Basij chief, and Dena victims​

TEHRAN – Hundreds of thousands of residents of Tehran gathered in the capital’s main squares, defying ongoing U.S. and Israeli bombardment, to attend a funeral ceremony for Iran’s Security Chief Ali Larijani, Basij commander Brigadier General Gholamreza Soleimani, and the victims of an unlawful U.S. attack on Iran’s Dena destroyer in the Indian Ocean.

Massive public funeral bids farewell to Iran’s security chief, Basij chief, and Dena victims

The Dena destroyer was unarmed and carrying naval cadets when it came under attack by American forces in early March while returning from an international maritime exercise hosted by India. U.S. President Donald Trump stated that his administration could have chosen not to sink the vessel, but decided to do so because it was “more fun.” The only comparable precedent occurred during World War II, when Nazi German forces sank a British vessel—though in that instance, the German forces still rescued the British sailors. Eighty-four navy personnel were martyred aboard the IRIS Dena on March 4. Reports indicate that around 20 sailors remain unaccounted for, while 32 others were rescued by Sri Lankan authorities.

The funeral was originally planned solely to honor the martyrs of the Dena. However, Larijani, the Secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, was assassinated in U.S.-Israeli strikes on his office on Tuesday, alongside Basij commander Brigadier General Soleimani. Western media has sought to portray the Basij volunteer forces as the primary group “cracking down” on Iranian protesters, using this narrative to justify the attacks. In reality, the Basij serve as the main units protecting Iranian cities through security checkpoints both during the current war and the 12-day war in June. The U.S. and Israel have long aimed to overthrow the Iranian government, aided by a network of mercenaries they have armed and trained over many years. Some of these individuals were arrested on Tuesday before they could carry out bombings against pro-Iran demonstrations, which have been held nightly since the war began on February 28.

Citizens participating in Wednesday’s ceremony gathered in neighborhoods that have been repeatedly targeted by U.S. and Israeli strikes in recent days. They told reporters they remain undeterred by the enemy’s threats. “These two murderous and criminal regimes do not understand the mindset of the Iranian people,” said a man in his 40s, attending the funeral with his teenage daughter. “We fought against Saddam for eight years when we were empty-handed. We don’t care how many of us are martyred. We will teach these despicable beings a lesson, no matter what.”

source: tehrantimes.com