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BJP's Nitin Nabin, Congress' Mallikarjun Kharge invited for Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's funeral in Iran next week
Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed in US-Israeli strikes on February 28.
Iran has invited BJP president Nitin Nabin and Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge to attend the funeral of late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, HT has learnt. The last rites of Khamenei, who was killed in US-Israel strikes on February 28, will be held next week.
Other Congress leaders invited to the funeral ceremony include Salman Khurshid and Pawan Khera, PTI reported.
Minister of state for external affairs Pabitra Margherita and the Bihar governor Lt Gen (retired) Syed Ata Hasnain are also expected to represent India at Khamenei's funeral programme, HT reported earlier.
Margherita and Hasnain, one of the few members of the Shia community to currently hold a constitutional position, are expected to participate in the event to be held in Tehran on July 4 on behalf of the Indian government, sources told HT.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi had last week received invitation for the funeral programme by Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian. While an official announcement on the level of participation is yet to be made by the Indian side, it was considered unlikely that the PM would take part in the event.
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Leaders of China, Russia, Pakistan and Qatar have also been invited by Iran for the funeral programme. Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has said an official delegation will attend the funeral.
Khamenei's funeral
After changing the last rites date multiple times since Khamenei's death, the Iranian authorities in June announced details for Khamenei's burial and funeral ceremony. He will be buried at the shrine of Imam Reza on July 9, following funeral ceremonies in Tehran, Qom and Mashhad on July 6, 7 and 9, respectively, Iran state media said reported.
“All noble and dear people, the free people of the world, followers of the school of Islam, and those interested in Iran” have been invited to attend the event, as per the organisers' statement. An outpouring of public participation is expected on the occasion.
The last rites of Iran's leader, who led the country from 1989 to 2026, have been planned during Muharram, a traditional period of mourning in the Shiite Muslim calendar. His funeral was initially planned for March 4, but postponed due to the Iran-US war that began with US-Israel strikes on Iran on February 28.
