Iran welcomes foreign leaders for Ayatollah Khameinei’s state funeral

International Iran welcomes foreign leaders for Ayatollah Khameinei’s state funeral Comments: by Finya Swai - 07/03/26 11:24 AM ET Comments: Link copied by Finya Swai - 07/03/26 11:24 AM ET Comments: Link copied

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A stream of foreign dignitaries, officials and mourners gathered in Tehran on Friday to pay their respects to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed by U.S.-Israeli airstrikes on Feb. 28 that triggered the war.

Pakistani Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif, a key mediator in the U.S.-Iran talks to end the war, joined mourners on the first day of the multiday funeral ceremonies for the slain Iranian leader.

Pakistan’s interior minister also arrived in Tehran, while a slate of top Iranian officials attended Friday’s ceremonies, including President Masoud Pezeshkian, Speaker of the Parliament Bagher Ghalibaf, Head of the Judiciary Gholam-Hossein Mohseni-Eje’i and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi.

Leaders from countries across the globe, including Qatar, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Cuba and Serbia, were also present in Tehran to pay their respects.

Dmitri Medvedev, Russia’s former president and deputy chairman of its Security Council, is also expected to attend the ceremony Friday, according to the Kremlin spokesperson, Dmitri Peskov.

Delegations from China, Namibia, Afghanistan and Turkmenistan met with Iran’s president in Tehran for the ceremonies. An official delegation from India was also in attendance, as well as Turkmenistan National Leader Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow.

The Iranian government praised the foreign officials for their “solidarity against recent US-Zionist aggressions” and referred to Khamenei as a “martyred Leader of the Islamic Revolution,” seeking to portray the longtime supreme leader as a beloved and respected figure.

Iranian officials have been negotiating with the U.S. to open the Strait of Hormuz and end hostilities in the region, which heightened after the U.S., Iran and Israel launched a series of retaliatory strikes amid a fragile ceasefire agreement.

Khamenei will be buried on July 9 following the ceremonies, which are expected to draw large crowds of Shiite Muslims across Iran, Iraq, Lebanon and Pakistan.

The ceremony on Friday took place at the Grand Mosalla in Tehran, a massive prayer complex frequently used by Khamenei to deliver important addresses during his 37-year reign.

Iran warned the U.S. and Israel not to wage any attacks inside the country during the funeral celebrations.

“We warn the enemies of Iran, especially the U.S. and the Zionist regime, to avoid any miscalculation and ⁠to think about the harsh retaliation our armed forces would make to any threat and aggression against our country,” said Ali Abdollahi, commander of Khatam al-Anbiya.

Khamenei’s casket was surrounded by the coffins of his family members who were also killed in the U.S.-Israeli strikes, according to The New York Times and Iranian state media.

The ayatollah’s daughter, his son-in-law, his daughter-in-law and his young granddaughter all died in the bombings. His son, Mojtaba Khamenei, was severely wounded in the attack. He was later named the next supreme leader, but remains in hiding.

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