Following the death of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran has announced a six-day funeral procession for the late Supreme Leader, with ceremonies set to begin on July 4. The funeral is expected to draw foreign dignitaries and officials from more than 30 countries.
Khamenei, who served as Iran’s Supreme Leader, was killed during the joint US and Israeli strikes carried out on February 28. The attack triggered the ongoing conflict between the United States and Iran.
From Pakistan, which has played a key role in mediating between Washington and Tehran, to political leaders from India and several other nations, numerous foreign representatives are expected to attend the funeral procession.
Who is expected to attend?
While several countries are yet to officially announce their delegations, Pakistan has confirmed that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will travel to Iran to attend the funeral.
India’s Ministry of External Affairs has announced that Bihar Governor Syed Ata Hasnain and Minister of State for External Affairs Pabitra Margherita will represent the country during the ceremonies.
“The high-level representation at the ceremony underscores the importance of the civilisational relationship, including people-to-people ties, between the two countries, which continues to provide a strong foundation for political and economic engagement,” the MEA said in a statement.
Apart from the official delegation, several Indian political leaders, including Congress leader Salman Khurshid and PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti, are also expected to travel to Iran for the funeral.
Russia, one of Iran’s closest allies, will be represented by Deputy Chairman of the Russian Security Council Dmitry Medvedev, the Kremlin confirmed.
From Bangladesh, Parliament Speaker Hafiz Uddin Ahmad is expected to attend the funeral after receiving an invitation from Iran, according to local news outlet bdnews24.com, citing Parliament Secretariat Public Relations Director Md Monir Hossain.
China will send senior lawmaker He Wei to represent Beijing at the funeral in Tehran, according to an announcement by the Chinese Foreign Ministry.
Representatives from over 30 countries expected
According to Iran’s Tasnim News Agency, Ali Akbar Poorjamshidian, secretary of Iran’s National Headquarters for the Farewell and Funeral of the Martyred Leader of the Islamic Revolution, said that more than 30 countries have formally requested to participate in the funeral and pay tribute to Khamenei.
Speaking at a press conference, he also said that numerous religious leaders, senior clerics and prominent personalities from different faiths and schools of thought had expressed their desire to attend the ceremonies.
Poorjamshidian added that representatives and dignitaries from more than 90 countries have indicated their readiness to participate in the funeral procession.
Six-day funeral programme
The funeral and burial ceremonies for Ayatollah Ali Khamenei will be held between July 4 and July 9 across Iran and Iraq.
According to Tasnim, the ceremonies will begin at 6 am on July 4. Public farewell events and Quran recitations will continue in Tehran until July 6.
On July 7, a major funeral procession will be held in the holy city of Qom.
Memorial services are scheduled to take place in Iraq on July 8, while the final burial will be conducted on July 9 at the Imam Reza Shrine in Mashhad, Khamenei’s hometown.
