Iran Pays Tribute: Nationwide Ceremonies Commemorate Late Hezbollah Leaders
People across various Iranian cities recently participated in symbolic funerals to honor the assassinated Lebanese resistance leaders, Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah and Sayyed Hashem Saffieddine. These ceremonies, marked by deep respect and solidarity, took place on Sunday evening in the capital Tehran, as well as in other cities such as Qom, Shiraz, Qeshm, and Zanjan.
Notable figures from the Iranian government attended the ceremony in Tehran, including Commander-in-Chief of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC), Major General Hossein Salami. During the event held at Imam Khomeini Mosalla, Salami paid heartfelt tribute to Nasrallah, calling him the “most distinguished figure” in the Arab world.
Key highlights from Salami’s address include:
- Salami expressed that “the world takes pride in such personalities.”
- He claimed Israel is now weaker than “a spider’s web” due to the resilience of the resistance front and its heroic leaders.
- He vowed that the spirit of resistance would persist until the eradication of the Israeli regime.
- Salami mentioned that Israeli authorities held misconceptions during the war, believing that the assassination of Hezbollah’s leaders would lead to Hezbollah’s defeat.
- He noted that the Israeli regime was ultimately forced to retreat from Gaza, stating, “Today, the Zionists have conceded to all the demands of Hamas.”
As a poignant reminder of their sacrifice, mourners also filled the streets of Tehran during the symbolic funeral for Nasrallah and Safieddine on February 23, 2025. In addition, a significant ceremony took place in Iran’s holy city of Qom, where the community came together to honor the fallen leaders.
Earlier that day, a historic funeral was held in Beirut, Lebanon, for Hezbollah’s long-serving leader Nasrallah and his successor, Safieddine. Both leaders were assassinated by Israeli forces during an airstrike on Lebanon last year. People from various regions of Lebanon and around the world gathered in Beirut to pay their last respects.
A high-ranking delegation from the Iranian government, including Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, traveled to Beirut to participate in the funeral procession.
Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, who led Hezbollah for 32 years, was killed in an Israeli airstrike on September 27 of last year in Dahieh, a southern suburb of Beirut. His successor, Sayyed Hashem Saffieddine, was also a victim of an Israeli act of aggression, being assassinated in Dahieh on October 3.
