Bihar Governor, MoS External Affairs Pabitra Margherita to represent India at funeral of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei | Today’s news
Bihar Governor Syed Ata Hasnain and External Affairs Minister Pabitra Margerita will represent India at the funeral of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in Iran next month, news agency ANI reported. The two dignitaries are accompanied by officials from the Ministry of External Affairs as part of the Indian delegation attending the funeral.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has invited Prime Minister Narendra Modi to attend the funeral of former Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, an India Today report said. Funeral rites will begin on July 4 and conclude with Khamenei’s burial in Mashhad, his birthplace and one of Iran’s holiest cities, on July 9.
Khamenei, 86, was killed on February 28 during the first wave of Israeli and American airstrikes on Tehran. He served as Iran’s supreme leader for 36 years. According to Iranian state media, the mourning program will also include memorial ceremonies in the holy city of Qom on July 7.
The timing of Khamenei’s funeral remained uncertain after his assassination. While Islamic tradition generally calls for burial as soon as possible, often within 24 hours of death, delays are permitted in exceptional circumstances such as war. Although initial reports indicated that the funeral could take place by the end of June, state media later confirmed that funeral services would instead take place in early July.
