Tehran honors slain IRGC commander

Tehran honors slain IRGC commander
Tehran honors slain IRGC commander

A ceremony was held in Tehran, to commemorate the former chief commander of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC), Hossein Salami, who was killed in Israeli strikes in June.

Salami's uniform was passed among the crowd as men wearing black shirts held up photos of him and the Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

The Iranian Armed Forces Chief of Staff, Abdulrahim Mousavi, told the crowd that Israel failed in its plans to topple the Iranian regime and "break up" the country.

"We are prepared," he added, threatening Israel with a "devastating plan" in case of further attacks.

On June 13, Israel launched major airstrikes on multiple locations across Iran, including nuclear and military sites, killing several senior commanders, nuclear scientists, and civilians. In response, Iran carried out several waves of missile and drone attacks on Israel.

A ceasefire between Iran and Israel was reached following the 12-day conflict.

Meanwhile Iran is quietly resuming indirect nuclear talks with the US despite strong opposition from hardliners, The Telegraph revealed.

Tehran’s supreme national security council told the foreign ministry to reopen talks with the Trump administration, aiming to revive diplomacy after a 12-day war with Israel last month that saw the US bomb key Iranian nuclear sites.

Tehran and Washington held five rounds of talks from April 12. The sixth round was cancelled after Israel launched strikes on Iran on June 13.

Iran Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi wrote in a Lebanese newspaper this week: “The Islamic Republic of Iran’s acceptance of the request to stop the war has created another opportunity for comprehensive diplomacy.”

But U.S. President Donald Trump said that Iran had not agreed to inspections of its nuclear programme or to give up enriching uranium.

He believed Tehran's nuclear program had been set back permanently although Iran could restart it at a different location.