Authorities in Iran have invited BJP president Nitin Nabin and Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge to attend the funeral of the country's late Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Khamenei, who was killed in US-Israel strikes on February 28, will be accorded his last rites during ceremonies scheduled for next week.
Senior Congress leaders Salman Khurshid and Pawan Khera have also received invitations to attend the funeral programme. India is expected to be represented at the event by Minister of State for External Affairs Pabitra Margherita and Bihar Governor Lt Gen (Retd) Syed Ata Hasnain.
Margherita and Hasnain, one of the few members of the Shia community currently holding a constitutional office in India, are expected to participate in the ceremony on behalf of the Government of India. The main funeral event is scheduled to take place in Tehran on July 4.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi had last week received an invitation from Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian to attend the funeral. While the Indian government is yet to officially announce the level of its participation, it is considered unlikely that the Prime Minister will personally attend the ceremony.
Also read: Leader arrested in Pak-occupied J&K ahead of protest
Iran has also extended invitations to the leaders of China, Russia, Pakistan and Qatar. Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has already stated that an official delegation from his country will participate in the funeral.
After revising the schedule for the last rites several times following Khamenei's death, Iranian authorities in June announced the final programme for the funeral and burial ceremonies. According to Iranian state media, Khamenei will be buried at the shrine of Imam Reza on July 9, following funeral ceremonies in Tehran, Qom and Mashhad on July 6, July 7 and July 9, respectively.
In a statement, the organisers invited "all noble and dear people, the free people of the world, followers of the school of Islam, and those interested in Iran" to attend the ceremonies. Authorities are expecting large public participation during the mourning events.
The funeral ceremonies for Khamenei, who led Iran from 1989 to 2026, are being held during Muharram, the traditional period of mourning in the Shia Islamic calendar. His funeral was originally scheduled for March 4 but was postponed following the Iran-US conflict that erupted after the US-Israel strikes on Iran on February 28.
Follow us
