Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has invited Prime Minister Narendra Modi to attend the funeral and burial ceremonies of Iran’s late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, diplomatic sources said on Wednesday.
There was, however, no official confirmation from New Delhi on whether the Prime Minister would attend the ceremonies, which are scheduled to be held between 4 and 9 July in several Iranian cities.
According to diplomatic sources, President Pezeshkian extended the invitation to Modi for the state funeral and related events that will honour Khamenei, who led the Islamic Republic for more than three decades before being killed in a joint US-Israeli air strike on 28 February.
Iran has announced a series of ceremonies across the country. Funeral observances are expected to begin in Tehran on 4 July and continue in the capital over the following days before moving to the holy city of Qom. The final burial ceremony is scheduled to take place in Mashhad, Khamenei’s hometown, on 9 July.
Also read: India welcomes opening of Hormuz Strait, US-Iran MoU
Khamenei, who served as Iran’s Supreme Leader from 1989 until his death, was one of the most influential figures in the Middle East and oversaw Iran through periods of regional conflict, international sanctions and tensions with Western powers. His death during the opening phase of the US-Israeli military campaign against Iran marked a major turning point in the region’s geopolitical landscape.
The funeral ceremonies are expected to draw leaders and senior representatives from several countries. Pakistan has already announced that it will send an official delegation to attend the funeral.
India and Iran share longstanding civilisational and strategic ties, with cooperation spanning connectivity, trade and regional security issues. Any decision by New Delhi on representation at the funeral ceremonies will be closely watched amid evolving diplomatic dynamics in West Asia.
Follow us
