Iranian state media broadcasted the funeral and memorial ceremonies for Defense Minister Major General Aziz Nasirzadeh and Defense Council Secretary Admiral Ali Shamkhani following massive US-Israeli airstrikes.
Iranian state media reported the funeral and memorial services on March 14, 2026, for two top military officials: Defense Minister Major General Pilot Aziz Nasirzadeh and Secretary of the Defense Council Admiral Ali Shamkhani. The ceremonies follow a massive wave of unprecedented US and Israeli airstrikes between March 9 and 13 that heavily targeted Iran's military, air defense, naval, and Revolutionary Guard infrastructure.
According to the state-run خبرگزاری ایرنا, the funeral and burial of the martyred Defense Minister of the 14th Government took place at 10:00 AM today at the Behesht Zahra cemetery in Tehran. The agency published multiple videos of the procession, noting the burial of the pure body of martyred Major General Pilot Aziz Nasirzadeh in the cemetery.
The کانال اخبار سپاه پاسداران 🏴, an official channel of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, confirmed the burial. The military channel reported that the ceremony for the martyred Minister of Defense and Armed Forces Logistics was held "with the presence of a gathering of national and military officials and the people". Regional news outlet خراسان آنلاین also reported the burial proceedings at Behesht Zahra.
Additionally, خبرگزاری ایرنا reported on a separate memorial service for the martyred Secretary of the Defense Council Admiral Ali Shamkhani, which was held at the Valiasr Mosque.
These high-profile military casualties come in the immediate aftermath of massive US and Israeli bombardments that US President Donald Trump declared had destroyed Iran's air and naval forces. The ongoing conflict has coincided with the formal appointment of Mojtaba Khamenei as Iran's third Supreme Leader, threats from the IRGC to ignite Middle Eastern energy infrastructure, and severe disruptions to global energy markets following the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz.
There is a minor discrepancy in IRNA's reporting regarding the specific burial plot for Major General Nasirzadeh; message 394714 states the burial took place in Block 42 at Behesht Zahra, while message 394705 states Block 24. The digest simply mentions Behesht Zahra to maintain factual accuracy without getting bogged down in the contradiction. The heavy use of 'martyred' and 'pure body' accurately reflects the state media's terminology and framing.