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Iran’s dignitaries, world leaders, delegations pay tribute to Ayatollah Khamenei
Iran has begun dayslong funeral ceremonies for the martyred Leader of the Islamic Revolution, Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, with foreign dignitaries and religious figures paying their respects at Tehran's Grand Mosalla.
Top Iranian officials, heads of state, foreign dignitaries, and high-ranking delegations from across the world paid their respects to the late Leader of the Islamic Revolution, who was assassinated in a US-Israeli strike on the opening day of the recent 40-day war on February 28.
Iranian officials and their families, representatives of religious minorities, families of martyrs of the resistance front and Arab tribal leaders also joined the solemn tribute.
The Leader's body, along with those of his companions, was transferred to Tehran's Grand Mosalla early Friday and placed in the main prayer hall ahead of a two-day public farewell ceremony.
Religious scholars and cultural figures from Indonesia and Afghanistan were among the first foreign guests to pay tribute.
Iran’s Parliament speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and President Masoud Pezeshkian, key officials in the country’s government, all paid their respects.
Turkmenistan’s chairman of the People's Council Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow, Iraqi President Nizar Amedi, Armenia’s Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, Tajikistan’s President Emomali Rahmon, Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and army chief General Asim Munir and Iraq’s Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani were among foreign dignitaries who paid their respects to the late Ayatollah Khamenei.
Parliament speakers of Iraq, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Uzbekistan, Belarus and Kyrgyzstan, foreign ministers of Nicaragua, Congo and Burkina Faso, president of Egypt’s Senate, the secretary general of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad resistance movement, and Omani parliament speaker also paid tribute to the martyred Leader.
Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei said Friday that delegations from nearly 100 countries, along with public figures and civil society groups, would attend the farewell ceremony for the martyred Leader.
"We have high-level delegations from neighboring countries. At least eight heads of government, including presidents or prime ministers, and parliamentary speakers from 12 countries will attend," Baqaei said. "Many other countries will be represented at the level of foreign ministers, other ministers, or special envoys."
He added that public groups and prominent figures from around 100 countries would also participate in the ceremony.
Baqaei said official delegations, public figures and members of parliament from Eastern European countries would attend the farewell ceremony. However, he said countries in Europe that had officially supported the military aggression by Israel and the United States against Iran had not been invited to attend the ceremony.
The public farewell, beginning Friday, follows a private ceremony held Thursday evening. Families of those killed in the recent war and relatives of staff members from the Leader's office gathered to bid farewell to the late Leader.
President Masoud Pezeshkian called on Iranians from all backgrounds to take part in the funeral ceremonies.
"As heroic Iran prepares to bid farewell to the sincere servant of Islam and the Revolution, I invite all people, regardless of ethnicity, religion, political taste or orientation, to participate with enthusiasm, dignity and in historic numbers, demonstrating a lasting image of national unity and loyalty to the lofty ideals of the Islamic establishment," he wrote in a message posted on X.
The multi-day funeral is expected to draw between 15 and 20 million mourners, according to Iranian officials.
Ceremonies will continue on Saturday and Sunday with the body lying in state at the Grand Mosalla before a funeral procession through Tehran on Monday. Further rites are scheduled in the holy city of Qom, followed by ceremonies in Baghdad, Karbala and Najaf in Iraq, before burial in Mashhad on July 9.