Iran holds funeral for top security official, Basij force commander, sunk frigate's crew

Large crowds gathered for a funeral ceremony in the Iranian capital Tehran on Wednesday to mourn the crew members of a frigate sunk by the United States, as well as one of the country's top security officials and a high-ranking military commander killed in Israeli attacks.

On March 4, the U.S. Navy's Los Angeles-class submarine USS Charlotte torpedoed and sunk Iran's Dena frigate in the Indian Ocean, killing 104 crew members on board, and leaving another 32 wounded.

Iran confirmed that the Secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council (SNSC) Ali Larijani and Gholam-Reza Soleimani, chief commander of the voluntary Basij force of the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps, were killed Tuesday in Israeli attacks.

"Ali Larijani was a revolutionary and great man, and he knew strategy. That is why during the 12-day war, our deceased supreme leader granted him a very important position," said one mourner.

"Ali Larijani was one of the revolutionary politicians in the last 47 years. He made a lot of effort, especially in recent years, as he was one of the high-level advisors to the supreme leader and secretary of the supreme national security council. And his remarks were really welcomed by Iranians. He got his reward for being martyred," said another.

Lairjani's son Morteza, Alireza Bayat, deputy secretary of the SNSC for security affairs, and a number of his bodyguards were also killed in Israeli strikes.

The funeral ceremony, which was attended by family members of the deceased, Iranian state officials and military commanders, as well as a large number of people from different walks of life, began in central Tehran's Enghelab Square, before a procession headed to a martyr's burial site in southern Tehran.

Mourners waved Iranian flags and held aloft pictures of leading officials killed in recent strikes, including the country's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei who was killed on the first day of U.S.-Israeli attacks on Iran.

Mourners also pledged allegiance to the country's new Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei and chanted slogans, vowing to exact revenge on the United States and Israel.

On Feb 28, Israel and the United States launched joint attacks on Tehran and several other Iranian cities, killing the country's supreme leader, high-ranking military commanders and civilians. Iran responded with several waves of missile and drone attacks targeting Israel and U.S. assets and bases in the Middle East.

Iran holds funeral for top security official, Basij force commander, sunk frigate's crew

Iran holds funeral for sunk frigate's crew, top security official, Basij force commander

The U.S. Federal Reserve on Wednesday decided to maintain its target range for the federal funds rate at 3.5-3.75 percent, in line with market expectations.

"Available indicators suggest that economic activity has been expanding at a solid pace. Job gains have remained low, and the unemployment rate has been little changed in recent months. Inflation remains somewhat elevated," said the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) in a statement.

Nevertheless, "uncertainty about the economic outlook remains elevated. The implications of developments in the Middle East for the U.S. economy are uncertain. The Committee is attentive to the risks to both sides of its dual mandate," the statement said.

"In support of its goals, the Committee decided to maintain the target range for the federal funds rate at 3-1/2 to 3-3/4 percent," the statement said. "In considering the extent and timing of additional adjustments to the target range for the federal funds rate, the Committee will carefully assess incoming data, the evolving outlook, and the balance of risks."

In the statement, the FOMC reiterated its strong commitment to supporting maximum employment and returning inflation to its 2 percent objective.

Of the 12 FOMC members, 11 voted for keeping the rate unchanged. Stephen Miran voted against the action. He preferred to lower the target range for the federal funds rate by 25 basis points at the meeting.

U.S. Fed keeps interest rate unchanged at 3.5-3.75 pct