US strikes Iranian railway bridges on route to city of Khamenei’s burial

{"text":[[{"start":9.3,"text":"Iran said the US had targeted railway bridges on the route to the holy city of Mashhad, where the late supreme leader was buried, in the first attacks on Iranian infrastructure in months as tensions escalated between the foes."}],[{"start":22.85,"text":"The overnight strikes came as vast crowds were gathering in Mashhad for the long-delayed burial ceremony for Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed in the opening salvo of the US-Israeli strikes in February. Khamenei was laid to rest in the early hours of Friday morning, the AP reported. "}],[{"start":39.1,"text":"Passenger train services from the capital Tehran and other southern cities to Mashhad were disrupted on Thursday morning by the strikes, one of which hit a bridge 55km from the holy city."}],[{"start":50.6,"text":"The moves were seen in Tehran as a provocation. Iran’s foreign ministry said the attacks while Khamenei’s six-day funeral procession was under way signified Washington’s “inability to comprehend the depth of Iranians’ patriotism and loyalty to the revolution’s ideals”."}],[{"start":68.05,"text":"They came as talks between Washington and Tehran to reach a final settlement to end the war had reached an impasse over the Strait of Hormuz, where Iranian fire on commercial shipping this week sparked the latest exchange of strikes."}],[{"start":81.05,"text":"US President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that he believed the fragile ceasefire was “over”."}],[{"start":87.1,"text":"A railway bridge in the town of Aqqala in the northeastern Golestan province was hit with cruise missiles, according to Iran’s Revolutionary Guards, who said there were no casualties. The bridge lies on the Gorgan-Incheh Borun line, which is used to transport passengers and cargo."}],[{"start":103.89999999999999,"text":"The line plays an important role in transit and trade with Central Asia and is part of an international corridor that links Iran, Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan."}],[{"start":113.89999999999999,"text":"Attacks were also reported on electricity infrastructure in Chabahar and Konarak in south-east Iran, causing three electricity transmission lines to go out of service and cutting off power to parts of the region."}],[{"start":126.3,"text":"US strikes also hit southern coastal provinces overnight in a second night of tit-for-tat attacks between its forces and Iran."}],[{"start":134,"text":"US Central Command, which oversees US military operations in the Middle East, said late on Wednesday that it had hit about 90 military targets “to further degrade Iran’s ability to attack commercial shipping and innocent civilian mariners in the Strait of Hormuz”. "}],[{"start":150.95,"text":"Iran said it had hit back with missile and drone strikes targeting US military bases in Kuwait, Bahrain and Qatar, and condemned what it said was a US violation of the ceasefire deal."}],[{"start":163.45,"text":"Centcom did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the strikes on infrastructure."}],[{"start":168.54999999999998,"text":"Iran’s state-owned railway body said repair work was under way and efforts were being made to restore services as quickly as possible. "}],[{"start":176.2,"text":"In Mashhad on Thursday, huge pro-regime crowds greeted Khamenei’s coffin for his burial at one of Shia Islam’s holiest sites. The funeral processions through Iran and Iraq have attracted crowds of millions."}],[{"start":190.04999999999998,"text":"The coffin of the late leader, along with those of his daughter, daughter-in-law, son-in-law, and 14-month-old granddaughter — all killed in the same strikes on his compound — was placed on the back of a truck. Adorned with ornate railings resembling those surrounding the Shrine of Imam Reza in Mashhad, the vehicle moved slowly through the crowd."}],[{"start":210.79999999999998,"text":"The assembled supporters were dressed in black, but the crowd appeared red from above because of the countless red religious flags they carried, symbolising their calls for revenge against Trump."}],[{"start":222.6,"text":"While Khamenei presided over growing domestic anger about economic stagnation, corruption and Iran’s international isolation, the funeral has drawn members of a committed minority of regime supporters within the country’s population of 90mn, many of whom oppose negotiations with the US."}],[{"start":240.25,"text":"“If the US hit our infrastructure, we will build it again,” said Fatemeh, a young woman waiting in the summer heat."}],[{"start":249.7,"text":"She said she suspected that the Tehran-Mashhad railway had been struck because the US wanted to divert attention from the crowds of millions that have turned out for the funeral processions across Iranian cities and in Iraq, and to deter mourners from attending Thursday’s ceremony."}],[{"start":265.15,"text":"“Look at the crowd,” she said. “This shows our resilience and sacrifice.”"}],[{"start":null,"text":"

"}],[{"start":269.75,"text":"A Tehran-based businessman said that the rail line had been used while the US was blockading Iranian ports during the latest conflict."}],[{"start":277.7,"text":"“When the blockade was on, people would use it,” he said. “Yet it has very limited capacity. Each train from Xi’an in China would only carry around 3,800 tonnes.”"}],[{"start":290,"text":"Despite the modest trade volumes, he said, the attack carried “symbolic” weight and could be read as a “message” from the US. It would take a few days to fix, the businessman said."}],[{"start":300.45,"text":"Last month, the US and Iranian presidents signed a memorandum of understanding to extend their ceasefire by 60 days and lay the groundwork for discussions on Iran’s nuclear programme."}],[{"start":310.8,"text":"Under the agreement, the US undertook to lift the blockade on Iranian ports and Tehran agreed to open the Strait of Hormuz. Both sides have accused each other of violating the ceasefire."}],[{"start":321.25,"text":"Local officials in the south-eastern city of Iranshahr reported an air strike on the city’s airport on Thursday, marking another assault deeper inside Iranian territory, beyond the southern coastline.  "}],[{"start":332.4,"text":"Iran’s health ministry said at least 14 people were killed and almost 80 injured over the two days of US strikes."}],[{"start":339.65,"text":"Speaking in Ankara on Wednesday, Trump called Iranian authorities “liars” and “sick people”. He said he believed “the ceasefire is over” but stopped short of endorsing a return to full-blown war and said the latest flare-up was “going to be over very quickly”."}],[{"start":357.25,"text":"Iran’s foreign ministry said on Thursday that the Islamic republic would not allow the “deranged and evil” US leadership to “undermine Iran’s national interests” with its “broken promises, bullying and wickedness”."}],[{"start":371.6,"text":"The latest escalation erupted after Iran attacked several ships in the Strait of Hormuz on Monday and Tuesday. Tehran agreed to reopen the crucial waterway after it signed a memorandum of understanding with the US last month."}],[{"start":386.1,"text":"However, Iran has been frustrated that the US has been encouraging ships to use a route through the strait near the Omani coastline, reducing Tehran’s control over the chokepoint."}],[{"start":403.35,"text":""}]],"url":"https://audio.ftcn.net.cn/album/a_1783642631_2882.mp3"}