Iranians bid farewell to the nation's 'security mastermind'

Thousands of Iranians attended the funeral of the Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council, along with other high-ranking officials and soldiers who died.

On 18/3, thousands of Iranians gathered in Tehran and other major cities to mourn high-ranking officials and soldiers, responding to the government's call for patriotism against perceived "enemy plots". The central event was a mass funeral at Enghelab Square in Tehran.

The funeral honored Ali Larijani, Secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, and Gholam Reza Soleimani, Commander of the Basij forces of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. Both died in an Israeli raid on the night of 17/3. The ceremony also commemorated 84 Iranian Navy soldiers who were killed two weeks prior when the missile frigate IRIS Dena was sunk by a US submarine.

The funeral cortege moved through a vast crowd in central Tehran.

High-ranking Iranian officials, including the new Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei, expressed condolences on social media X. Mojtaba vowed retaliation for Larijani, other senior Iranian leaders, and civilians killed in the conflict. He has not appeared publicly since the war began on 28/2.

The funeral procession passed Enghelab Square, where a large mural depicting sailors in uniform bore the inscription: "The heroes of the sea will live forever in Iran's memory".

Images from 18/3 highlighted significant public support for the Iranian government. Mohammed and his wife, Hamideh, brought their children to demonstrate their solidarity with the Iranian administration and people.

"The manner in which Ali Larijani was assassinated is unjust and unacceptable anywhere in the world", Mohammed stated.

People carried flowers alongside the hearse.

Mourners filled Enghelab Square in the city center.

An Iranian man held a picture of Basij forces Commander Gholam Reza Soleimani during the funeral on 18/3.

Sepora, holding a sign with an ancient Persian poem, explained that the poem says: "If we are killed, one by one, it is better than handing our country to the enemy."

"This is our homeland, we will not surrender", he added.

The ongoing conflict in the Middle East has resulted in over 2,000 deaths, primarily in Iran and Lebanon.