TEHRAN – Tens of thousands of Iranian citizens attended the funeral ceremony of 280 unidentified soldiers who lost their lives during Iraqi Dictator Saddam Hussein’s invasion of Iran.

The funeral processions were held in several cities across the country on Sunday, including in the Iranian capital of Tehran.

People also reaffirmed their commitment toward the Palestinian cause, with the commander-in-chief of the Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC) vowing “everlasting support” for the Palestinians. The top general drew parallels with the 8-year war Saddam waged on Iran, saying the U.S. must come to the realization that it cannot defeat Muslims through attacks and pressure. 

“Look at the scene in Palestine and see how ruthless and criminal our enemies are. America is repeating its mistakes of the past 45 years and thinks it will win by occupying land. America, Israel, and their allies are repeating bitter experiences of the past. Did occupying Afghanistan bring victory for them? Could they stay in Iraq after occupying it? They are gradually packing their bags to leave this region,” Major General Hossein Salami said urging U.S. politicians to heed domestic needs instead of spending money on Israel’s killing campaigns. 

The general condemned Israel for its deliberate targeting of civilian sites including hospitals, schools, and homes, saying the regime is killing citizens to make up for its helplessness against Hamas fighters. 

“Palestine is going to haunt them forever. The more they destroy in Gaza, the more nails they hit on their coffin. Turning hospitals into war zones is nothing but a crime. Try to face off Hamas fighters directly if you believe you have the courage,” he said. 

Salami also noted that Palestinians will ultimately emerge victorious in their fight against occupation.  

“A nation that many have sacrificed their lives for is never going down. The people of Palestine are resisting and we know that the losers of this war are America and Israel. We support dear Palestine until the end,” he continued.  

The military official pointed to the failure of the so-called Abraham Accords, saying despite constant efforts by the U.S. and Israel, public opinion has turned against the Israeli regime. 

“Muslim nations today have an endless resentment towards these criminals, and American and Israeli officials do not dare to show up in Islamic lands. Today, wherever you go you can clearly see the detest people hold for these two entities,” Salami stressed.

Devastating Israeli attacks on Gaza have so far killed about 20,000 civilians with 70% of the casualties consisting of women and children. The United Nations has warned that there are no safe zones left in the territory and that Palestinians trapped there are spending every second fearing for their lives. The UN has also warned of deteriorating humanitarian conditions in Gaza, saying every person there is currently “going hungry”. Israel has imposed a full siege on Gaza denying people food, water, and medication, after announcing that the residents of the enclave should be treated as “human-animals.”

The U.S. has so far obstructed any international action aiming to establish a ceasefire in Gaza, arguing that a halt to Israeli attacks would give Hamas the chance to regroup.