Iran has invited BJP president Nitin Nabin and Congress president Mallikarjun Kharji to attend the funeral of late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, HT has learnt. The final burial ceremonies for Khamenei, who was killed in a US-Israeli raid on February 28, will be held next week.
Minister of State for External Affairs Pabitra Margherita and Bihar Governor Lt. Gen (retd) Syed Ata Hasnain are also expected to represent India at Khamenei’s funeral programme, HT reported earlier.
Margherita and Hassanein, one of the few members of the Shia community currently holding a constitutional position, are expected to participate in the event to be held in Tehran on July 4 on behalf of the Indian government, sources told HT.
Last week, Prime Minister Narendra Modi received an invitation to the funeral program from Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian. While the Indian side is yet to make an official announcement about the level of participation, the Prime Minister is unlikely to participate in the event.
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Iran also invited the leaders of China, Russia, Pakistan and Qatar to attend the funeral programme. Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said that an official delegation would attend the funeral.
Khamenei’s funeral
After changing the date of the last rites several times since Khamenei’s death, the Iranian authorities announced in June the details of Khamenei’s burial and funeral ceremonies. Iranian official media reported that he would be buried in the Imam Reza Shrine on July 9, after funeral ceremonies in Tehran, Qom, and Mashhad on July 6, 7, and 9, respectively.
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The organizers’ statement said: “All honorable and dear people, free people of the world, followers of the Islamic doctrine, and those interested in Iran were invited to attend this event.” This event is expected to witness large public participation.
The last rites for the Iranian leader, who ruled the country from 1989 to 2026, were planned during the month of Muharram, a traditional period of mourning in the Shiite Islamic calendar. His funeral was initially scheduled for March 4, but was postponed due to the Iran-US war that began with US-Israeli strikes on Iran on February 28.
