‘If I die…’: Iranian anchor emerges hero after Israeli strikes, her courageous gesture goes viral

Tehran, July 1: Iran’s Judiciary has announced that the death toll from the recent Israeli military onslaught—backed by the United States—has risen to at least 935, including dozens of women and children.

Speaking at a press conference on Monday, Judiciary spokesperson Asghar Jahangir cited updated figures from the Forensic Medicine Organization, saying that the victims include 38 children and 102 women, several of whom were pregnant. The 12-day assault by the “illegitimate Zionist regime,” he said, constituted a clear act of aggression against a sovereign nation.

Jahangir highlighted that the attack on Tehran’s Evin Prison alone resulted in 79 deaths, including prisoners' family members, aid workers, and prison employees.

“The world saw who started this war. Iran was attacked in the middle of diplomatic negotiations and had every right to defend itself on the battlefield,” Jahangir said.

He accused both Israel and the United States of violating international law, particularly by targeting Iran’s peaceful nuclear facilities—despite Iran being a member of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).

Jahangir warned that Iran remains vigilant and ready to deliver a “proportionate response” to any future aggression. He also accused foreign powers of attempting to stir unrest inside Iran by targeting key figures, including military commanders and scientists. However, he said that Iran's internal stability was preserved through national unity and swift action by authorities.

“Despite assassination campaigns and sabotage plots, the enemy failed to break Iran’s resilience. Under the guidance of Leader Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, capable successors were quickly appointed and infiltration networks were dismantled,” he added.

The crisis escalated on June 13 when Israel launched a surprise military operation against Iran, killing numerous military officials, nuclear scientists, and civilians. Days later, the US joined the assault by bombing three Iranian nuclear sites—a move Tehran labeled a serious breach of the UN Charter and the NPT.

In retaliation, Iran targeted strategic Israeli positions and struck the US-operated al-Udeid air base in Qatar.

By June 24, Iranian armed forces had carried out a series of retaliatory operations, ultimately forcing a halt to what Tehran called “illegal and unjustified aggression.”

Tehran, June 28: Iran is holding a grand funeral service for those martyred in the 12-day aggression by Israel and the US against the Islamic Republic.

The funeral in capital Tehran for 60 nuclear scientists, military commanders and civilians martyred in Israeli strikes began at 8:00 am (0430 GMT) in Enqelab Square on Saturday, proceeding to Azadi Square, about 11 kilometers across the sprawling metropolis.

A huge crowd of mourners is participating in the procession, accompanying coffins with chants of "death to Israel" and "death to America" and carrying placards.

"Boom boom Tel Aviv," read one banner, referring to Iranian missiles fired at Israel during the conflict in retaliation for its attacks on Iran.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, along with other senior government officials and military commanders including head of the Quds Force Brigadier General Esmail Qa’ani are also attending the event.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei, who attended the procession, paid flowing tributes to the martyrs in a message on X.

“Today, the zealous people of Iran carry on their shoulders, with heavy sorrow but standing steadfast and powerful, some of their purest and most patriotic sons and daughters - commanders, elites, athletes, women and children of this land - who were martyred during the war imposed by the aggressor Zionist regime, and with indescribable respect, they lay them to rest on the soil of their homeland like mythical heroes; so that each one may become a seed for the growth of other heroes," he wrote.

Images showed coffins draped in Iranian flags and bearing portraits of the martyred commanders in uniform near in the iconic Enqelab Square in central Tehran.

Mohsen Mahmoudi, head of Tehran's Islamic Development Coordination Council, called it a "historic day for Islamic Iran and the revolution".

Among the martyrs is Mohammad Bagheri, a major general and the second-in-command of the armed forces after the Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei.

He will be buried alongside his wife and daughter, a journalist for a local media outlet, all martyred in an Israeli attack in Tehran.

Nuclear scientist Mohammad Mehdi Tehranchi, also martyred in the savage aggression, will be buried with his wife.

Chief commander of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) Major General Hossein Salami, who was martyred on the first day of the unprovoked aggression, will also be laid to rest after Saturday's ceremony — which will also honor at least 30 other top commanders.

Of the 60 people who are to be laid to rest after the ceremony, four are children.

Iranian officials say more than 600 people, mostly civilians, were martyred in Israeli and US aggression against Iran.

The ceremony coincides with the second day of the Islamic month of Muharram, which commemorates the martyrdom of Imam Hussein (AS), the third Shia Imam, and his 72 companions.

In 680 AD, Imam Hussein (AS) and his followers fought bravely for justice against the much larger army of the Umayyad caliph, Yazid I, in the Battle of Karbala, in southern Iraq.

“Iranians have proven that they are the nation of Imam Hussein; a nation that, in the battle of truth against falsehood, relying on faith, steadfastness, and national solidarity, has the ability to overcome any evil," Baghaei wrote.

Mangaluru, July 8: In a significant employment push for the region, the Employment Linked Incentive (ELI) Scheme, introduced by the central government through the Employees' Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO), is expected to generate 20,000 to 25,000 new jobs in Dakshina Kannada district.

Announcing this at a press meet on Monday, Rajib Mukherjee, Regional Commissioner of EPFO Mangaluru, said the initiative targets 2,500 to 3,000 establishments in the district, with a major focus on boosting employment and social security, particularly in the manufacturing sector.

"The ELI scheme is designed not only to support first-time job seekers but also to incentivize employers for generating sustainable employment," Mukherjee said.

Key Highlights of the Scheme:

•    For first-time employees, the government will provide EPF wage support of up to ₹15,000, disbursed in two installments.

•    Employers who create new jobs will receive incentives of up to ₹3,000 per new hire per month for a duration of two years.

•    In the manufacturing sector, these incentives will continue for an additional two years (years three and four), encouraging long-term hiring.

Wider Goals and Eligibility:

The ELI scheme is part of the Prime Minister’s five-scheme package announced in the 2024–25 Union Budget, which aims to generate 3.5 crore jobs across India over two years.

•    The benefits will apply to jobs created between August 1, 2025, and July 31, 2027.

•    Employees with a monthly salary of up to ₹1 lakh are eligible.

•    Employers hiring within this salary range are eligible for government subsidies, provided the job is retained for at least six months.

Awareness and Outreach:

EPFO is conducting awareness camps across Dakshina Kannada to inform businesses and job seekers about the scheme’s benefits and application process.

Officials U Panduranga Kini, Nagendra Babu Gutti, Benny Lobo, and Anita R were also present at the briefing.