Dena Martyrs Make Army's Foundation 'Firmer', Says Larijani as Tehran Prepares for Massive Funeral 

Tuesday, 17 March 2026 5:48 PM

Bodies of Iranian sailors assassinated in a cowardly US terrorist strike against IRIS Dena received in Tehran on March 15, 2026. (Photo by Tasnim)

As the Iranian capital gears up for a massive funeral honoring 84 martyred sailors of the IRIS Dena, top officials declared that the cowardly assassination of these naval heroes will only make the foundation of the country's armed forces "firmer for years."

The farewell ceremony for the recovered victims of the American terrorist attack will be held today and tomorrow across 34 main squares and locations in Tehran. 

These massive processions will see the presence of the martyrs' families, high-ranking civil and military officials, armed forces commanders, and citizens from all walks of life paying their respects to the sacrifices of the Dena crew.

Ahead of the grand processions, Ali Larijani, Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council, released a handwritten note. 

He emphasized that the martyrdom of these naval heroes in the Dena proves the zealous nation's sacrifices "in this era of fighting international oppressors."

"Their memory will always remain in the heart of the Iranian nation, and these martyrdoms will make the foundation of the Islamic Republic's Army firmer in the structure of the armed forces for years," Larijani wrote.

Meanwhile, President Masoud Pezeshkian issued a message inviting the great Iranian nation to participate gloriously alongside one another to lay these heroes to rest. 

He noted that the brave and patient people of Iran are welcoming maritime youth who were echoing the call for peace in international waters, thousands of miles away from the area of the the imposed war when they were targeted by enemies. 

The enemies of freedom and security martyred these honorable soldiers in a massive crime and a cowardly, blind attack, trampling on all international, moral, and human laws, Pezeshkian stated, adding that the perpetrators once again revealed their terrorist nature to the world.

"Our deceitful enemies must know that in the shadow of the name of each of these high-ranking martyrs, thousands of other brave men will rise, and they will take the wish of the surrender of the children of the land of Iran to the grave," the president warned.

The IRIS Dena was brutally targeted on March 4 in international waters while returning from a multinational naval exercise in India, an event it had been officially invited to attend. 

The vessel was struck by an MK-48 torpedo launched by a United States submarine approximately 40 nautical miles off the coast of Galle, Sri Lanka.

According to reports, the maritime terrorist attack claimed the lives of 104 crew members. 32 sailors were rescued.

This unprovoked assault occurred in the middle of a large-scale war launched against the Iranian nation by the US and Israel on February 28. 

The war was ignited by the cowardly assassination of the former Leader of the Islamic Revolution, Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei, alongside several high-ranking military commanders.

Within the framework of their legitimate response to these ongoing atrocities, the Iranian Armed Forces continue to execute massive missile and drone strikes against US interests in the region and Israeli positions in the occupied territories.