On June 28, 2025, Tehran held a mass state funeral for senior Iranian generals and nuclear scientists killed in Israeli airstrikes on June 13. The ceremony featured a surprise appearance by Ali Shamkhani, a key adviser to Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei whose death had been previously announced by Iranian media and confirmed by a number of international sources, including CNN. Videos posted on the X platform showed Shamkhani leaning on a cane at the funeral, sparking widespread controversy and dispelling rumors of his death.

Earlier, on June 13, 2025, Nour News Agency and other Iranian media reported that Shamkhani was seriously wounded in an Israeli strike on his residence in Tehran and was taken to hospital in critical condition. Later, some sources, including CNN and Caliber.az, claimed he was killed, naming Shamkhani as one of the key targets of the attack aimed at eliminating senior Iranian military and political figures. However, on June 16, Iran's ISNA news agency and other media outlets denied these reports, claiming that Shamkhani had survived and was under medical supervision. His appearance at the funeral was the first public confirmation of these claims.

The funeral, held at Tehran University, was dedicated to the memory of the victims, including the commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Hossein Salami and the chief of the central staff of the Iranian armed forces Khatam al-Anbiy, General Ali Shadmani. The funeral, called a “martyrs’ ceremony” by the Iranian authorities, was led by Ayatollah Khamenei, who personally led the prayers. The event was broadcast on state television, and black flags were hung in Tehran and other cities as a sign of mourning. According to Iran’s Islamic Propaganda Coordination Council, the funeral took place on June 28, as previously announced.

The Israeli strikes on June 13 targeted Iranian military and nuclear facilities, including residential areas of Tehran housing senior officials. According to the BBC, the attack killed several key figures, including IRGC commanders and scientists linked to the nuclear program. Iran viewed Israel's actions as a declaration of war, promising retaliation. Tehran responded to the strikes with massive missile attacks on US and Israeli military bases in the region, raising tensions in the Middle East.