Latest news with #Shamkhani
Rudaw Net
29-06-2025
- Politics
- Rudaw Net
Khamenei adviser rumored killed by Israel makes first public appearance at funeral
Also in Iran Families of prisoners left in the dark after Israeli strike kills 71 at Iran's Evin prison Iranian president says UN failed in response to Israel conflict Trump 'inflated' impact of US strikes on Iran nuclear sites: Khamenei Iran partially reopens airspace following ceasefire with Israel A+ A- ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - Ali Shamkhani, a senior advisor to Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, was severely injured in Israel's first wave of strikes. On Saturday he made his first public appearance at a funeral for dozens of people killed in the war with Israel, and he described the moment the room he was in was hit. Shamkhani said he was asleep in his room when it collapsed under an Israeli strike, leaving him trapped beneath the rubble for three hours. 'My whole room collapsed, a lot of debris fell on me,' he told state TV. 'At first, I thought it was an earthquake.' With limited oxygen, Shamkhani began digging with his foot in an attempt to free himself. 'I was taking small, sharp breaths. It wasn't even a breath,' he recalled. Rescue workers searching for survivors heard him shouting and called out, 'He's here!' 'I wasn't afraid for a moment. I said I was going to die… I've lived my life. Let's see how long I live,' he said. Shamkhani, a key figure in Iran's military and political establishment, has held senior roles across both the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and the regular army. He served as defense minister from 1997 to 2005 and later as secretary of the Supreme National Security Council from 2013 to 2023, where he oversaw national security and nuclear diplomacy. Known for bridging reformist and conservative camps, Shamkhani has played a lasting role in shaping Iran's regional and strategic policies. He was wrongly reported killed in Israel's first strikes on Iranian military leadership and nuclear sites on June 13. 'They knew why they targeted me, and I know why they targeted me,' Shamkhani said. On June 21 he posted on social media that he had been injured. In its operation against Iran, Israel targeted the top echelon of Iran's military, killing many senior commanders including IRGC commander General Hossein Salami, chief of staff of the Iranian Armed Forces Major General Mohammad Bagheri, head of IRGC's main operational command General Gholam Ali Rashid, and head of the IRGC's aerospace division General Amir Ali Hajizadeh. 'These soldiers, my dear brothers, who were all martyred, were friends, comrades, and fellow soldiers,' said Shamkhani. He described them as 'the minds and pillars of Iran's authority' with whom he used to plot strategy. The commanders were all quickly replaced and Iran began a retaliation campaign that had been pre-planned as a contingency. 'We predicted that we would be attacked, so what happened next was based on the decisions of the Supreme Leader during these meetings. We knew what to do if this happened and we knew what our capabilities were,' Shamkhani said. His interview was done on the sidelines of a large, state funeral ceremony for around 60 people, including military personnel, scientists, and civilians killed in the war with Israel. The event grew massive crowds. President Masoud Pezeshkian joined top officials at the funeral, as did Khamenei's son, Mojtaba. The conflict brought an end to indirect nuclear talks between Tehran and Washington. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has ruled out the possibility of resuming the talks, though US President Donald Trump has said he expects they will meet. Shamkhani said that the US was not negotiating with Iran with the goal of reaching a nuclear deal, but in order to 'provoke the internal situation in the country and force them to protest.' Those behind the conflict believed 'that with a single action, Iran's internal situation will be ripe for an uprising,' he said, but added that Iranians have repeatedly demonstrated their commitment to national sovereignty. 'Now it is our duty to resolve even the smallest disagreement [with the people],' he added. Washington, which also carried out strikes on Iran's nuclear facilities, on Tuesday brokered a ceasefire to the 12-day war.
Memri
29-06-2025
- Politics
- Memri
Khamenei's National Security Advisor Admiral Ali Shamkhani Severely Injured in Israeli Strike: They Know Why They Targeted Me; 'I've Beaten the Hell Out of Their Big Boss'; the Iranians Proved That Th
Admiral Ali Shamkhani, member of Iran's Expediency Council and National Security Advisor to Supreme Leader Khamenei, who was severely injured during the Iran–Israel war, discussed his injuries in a June 28, 2025 interview on IRINN TV (Iran). He said his entire room collapsed on top of him, and he was buried under the rubble for three hours. Shamkhani said that his ribcage was fractured, and he sustained many internal injuries in the attack. He added that the Israelis know why they targeted him, as does he, but he is not at liberty to elaborate. He said he has 'beaten the hell out of their big boss' and that he holds many secrets. Shamkhani also described how Iran responded to Israel's attack, following a plan based on guidance from the Supreme Leader, and adapted according to Iran's capabilities.
The Mainichi
29-06-2025
- Politics
- The Mainichi
Hundreds of thousands mourn top Iranian military commanders and scientists killed in Israeli strikes
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) -- Hundreds of thousands of mourners lined the streets of downtown Tehran on Saturday for the funeral of the head of the Revolutionary Guard and other top commanders and nuclear scientists killed during a 12-day war with Israel. The caskets of Guard chief Gen. Hossein Salami, the head of the Guard's ballistic missile program, Gen. Amir Ali Hajizadeh and others were driven on trucks along the capital's Azadi Street as people in the crowds chanted: "Death to America" and "Death to Israel." Salami and Hajizadeh were both killed on the first day of the war, June 13, as Israel launched a war it said was meant to destroy Iran's nuclear program, specifically targeting military commanders, scientists and nuclear facilities. State media reported more than 1 million people turned out for the funeral procession, which was impossible to independently confirm, but the dense crowd packed the main Tehran thoroughfare along the entire 4.5 kilometer (nearly 3 mile) route. There was no immediate sign of Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, in the state broadcast of the funeral. Khamenei, who has not made a public appearance since before the outbreak of the war, has in past funerals held prayers for fallen commanders over their caskets before the open ceremonies, later aired on state television. Top officials are among the mourners Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi was on hand, and state television reported that Gen. Esmail Qaani, who heads the foreign wing of the Revolutionary Guard, the Quds Force, and Gen. Ali Shamkhani were also among the mourners. Shamkhani, an adviser to Khamenei who was wounded in the first round of Israel's attack and hospitalized, was shown in a civilian suit leaning on a cane in an image distributed on state television's Telegram channel. Later on Saturday night, state TV showed Shamkhani saying he and other generals knew they would be targets before Israel initiated the war earlier this month. The morning of the strike on his residence, he said he woke up for dawn prayer when suddenly everything around him had become ruins. He initially thought that an earthquake had taken place, and it took search and rescue teams at least three hours to find him in the rubble. Shamkhani said most of his injuries were internal, including a chest fracture. Iran's Revolutionary Guard was created after its 1979 Islamic Revolution. Since it was established, it has evolved from a paramilitary, domestic security force to a transnational force that has come to the aid of Tehran's allies in the Middle East, from Syria and Lebanon to Iraq. It operates in parallel to the country's existing armed forces and controls Iran's arsenal of ballistic missiles, which it has used to attack Israel twice during the Israel-Hamas war in the Gaza Strip. Over 12 days before a ceasefire was declared on Tuesday, Israel claimed it killed around 30 Iranian commanders and 11 nuclear scientists, while hitting eight nuclear-related facilities and more than 720 military infrastructure sites. More than 1,000 people were killed, including at least 417 civilians, according to the Washington-based Human Rights Activists group. Iran fired more than 550 ballistic missiles at Israel, most of which were intercepted, but those that got through caused damage in many areas and killed 28 people. Saturday's ceremonies were the first public funerals for top commanders since the ceasefire, and Iranian state television reported that they were for 60 people in total, including four women and four children. Crowd expresses feelings of anger and defiance Authorities closed government offices to allow public servants to attend the ceremonies. Many in the crowd expressed feelings of anger and defiance. "This is not a ceasefire, this is just a pause," said 43-year-old Ahmad Mousapoor, waving an Iranian flag. "Whatever they do, we will definitely give a crushing response." State media published images of an open grave plot at Tehran's sprawling Behesht-e-Zahra cemetery where army chief of staff, Gen. Mohammad Bagheri, who was killed on the first day of the war, was to be buried beside his brother, a Guards commander killed during the 1980s Iran-Iraq war. Many of the others were to be buried in their hometowns. The Iranian judiciary's Mizan news agency confirmed that the top prosecutor at the notorious Evin prison had been killed in an Israeli strike on Monday. It reported that Ali Ghanaatkar, whose prosecution of dissidents, including Nobel Peace Prize winner Narges Mohammadi, led to widespread criticism by human rights groups, would be buried at a shrine in Qom. Iran has always insisted its nuclear program is only for peaceful purposes. But Israel views it as an existential threat and said its military campaign was necessary to prevent Iran from building an atomic weapon. Khamenei's last public appearance was June 11, two days before hostilities with Israel broke out, when he met with Iranian parliamentarians. On Thursday, however, he released a pre-recorded video, in his first message since the end of the war, filled with warnings and threats directed toward the United States and Israel, the Islamic Republic's longtime adversaries. The 86-year-old downplayed U.S. strikes on three Iranian nuclear sites as having not achieved "anything significant" and claimed victory over Israel. Questions remain over possible talks The head of the United Nations nuclear watchdog agency, Rafael Grossi, has characterized the damage done by American bunker-buster bombs to Iran's Fordo nuclear site, which was built into a mountain, as "very, very, very considerable." U.S. President Donald Trump has said that he expects Iran to open itself to international inspection to verify it doesn't restart its nuclear program, and White House officials have said they expect to restart talks soon with Iran, though nothing has been scheduled. Iran's parliament has voted to suspend collaboration with Grossi's International Atomic Energy Agency for the time being. In a post on X on Saturday, Araghchi indicated that Iran might be open to talks, but criticized Trump's remarks from Friday in which the president scoffed at a warning from Khamenei against further U.S. attacks, saying Iran "got beat to hell." "If President Trump is genuine about wanting a deal, he should put aside the disrespectful and unacceptable tone towards Iran's Supreme Leader, Grand Ayatollah Khamenei and stop hurting his millions of heartfelt followers," Araghchi wrote.
Indian Express
28-06-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
Top Khamenei aide appears on state TV following reports of his death in Israeli airstrike
The 12-day conflict between Iran and Israel ended with a ceasefire brokered by US President Donald Trump and Qatar on June 24 and it was reported that Ali Shamkhani — a close aide to Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei died in Israeli airstrikes which was earlier confirmed by both Israeli and Iranian authorities, appeared on an Iranian state TV and apparently gave an interview on Saturday. Shamkhani was attending a mass funeral in Tehran which was organised to bid adieu to the dozens of military commanders and nuclear scientists killed in the Israeli attack. Shamkhani's death was surrounded in mystery after initial reports emerged that he was killed during Israel's June 13 strike on Iran. Though several reports also claimed that Shamkhani had survived the attack and he was seriously wounded. 1- A 9-minute interview with former national security adviser Ali Shamkhani. His injuries are more or less internal. Shamkhani was under rubble for 3hs after Zionist regime's attack on his flat on the first night of aggression. — Fereshteh Sadeghi فرشته صادقی (@fresh_sadegh) June 28, 2025 Last week, several Iranian outlets, including IRNA, Tasnim and Fars reported that Shamkhani had not died in the Israeli airstrike, instead had been 'severely injured and hospitalized' in Tel Aviv's attack, though no photos of him were released by any media outlet. Thereafter, Shamkhani appeared in the pictures of Iran's state media on Saturday covering the state funeral for those who died during the 12-day conflict with Israel. And on the same day, Iran's state news agency IRIB ran Shamkhani's interview, which the news outlet touted as Iran's top official's first television interaction since the attack. In the televised interview, Shamkhani claimed that he was trapped under the debris of his home for three hours after Israel's strike. 'I did my morning prayer while under the rubble,' he said, reported CNN. 'At first, I thought it was an earthquake. But when I heard the sound of vehicles, I realized it was not,' top Khamenei aide said during the interview. Israel and Iran are currently observing a ceasefire in hostilities which is fragile, and if broken, could rapidly escalate the tension in the Middle East region.
Shafaq News
28-06-2025
- Politics
- Shafaq News
Iran's Shamkhani: I Was Not Afraid
Shafaq News – Tehran Ali Shamkhani, a senior advisor to Iran's Supreme Leader and former Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council, has revealed details of a failed assassination attempt carried out by Israel. Speaking in a televised interview, Shamkhani said he remained conscious during the operation and immediately began planning how to survive. 'I was alert from the first moment and tried to design a way out. I was not afraid,' he said, noting that similar threats in the past had prepared him for such situations. Shamkhani said his wife and son were also injured during the attack, adding, 'I tried to find hope by calling out my son's name.' He described being unable to speak clearly at the time due to oxygen pressure and the shock of the situation. Addressing broader national security issues, Shamkhani emphasized the need for constant vigilance and readiness to face threats, calling for continued development of Iran's military capabilities and warning against relying on negotiations. He attributed recent domestic unrest to external manipulation, stating, 'There have been efforts to create internal conditions for provoking protests, but the Iranian people are wise and have disappointed the enemy.' He praised the solidarity shown by the public in the aftermath of recent events, describing it as a sign of deep awareness rather than emotional reaction. 'This unity reflects a recognition of the enemy's goals and Iran's importance,' he added. Shamkhani also pointed to the strong reactions from foreign media, saying, 'From the anger of foreign outlets, I understood that we are on the right path and have dealt heavy blows.' He also criticized narratives that link domestic protests to the Iranian leadership, arguing that such portrayals reveal the deep frustration of those mourning the loss of targeted Iranian commanders. Reaffirming the strategic basis of Iran's military operations, Shamkhani stated that all actions are pre-planned and carried out with the support of the people, the armed forces, and the Supreme Leader Ayatollah Alo Khamenei.
