Lagatar24 Desk
Tehran: Iran has begun a six-day funeral ceremony for former Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, who ruled the country for 36 years and was killed on February 28 when the US and Israel began striking Iran, triggering a war in the Middle East. The ceremonies began in Tehran on July 4 and will conclude with his burial in the northeastern holy city of Mashhad on July 9, with events also planned in Qom on July 7.
Son Mojtaba Will Not Attend
Mojtaba Khamenei, who has succeeded his father as Supreme Leader, will not attend the funeral ceremonies due to security concerns. His representative in India, Ayatollah Hakim Elahi, told news agency ANI that Israeli threats and surveillance risks make Mojtaba’s public attendance dangerous. Iranian authorities expect millions of mourners to gather over the six-day period, making it one of the most closely watched global events. Giant billboards and posters of the late Khamenei have been put up across Iran.
Indian Delegation to Attend
Bihar Governor General Syed Hasnain and Minister of State for External Affairs Pavitra Margarita will represent India at the funeral ceremony. Former External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid will reportedly attend on behalf of the Congress party. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian had invited PM Modi, but he is unlikely to attend.
Iran-US Peace Deal Fragile
Iran and the US signed a peace deal last month but continued to exchange fire, with Tehran targeting a commercial ship and the US striking Iranian military targets in response, followed by Iranian strikes on US bases in Kuwait and Bahrain. However, exchanges of fire have appeared to ease in recent days, with Qatar and Pakistan reporting positive progress in Doha negotiations on a 14-point MoU between the two sides.
