The body of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei lay in state in a vast hall in Tehran on Friday as clerics, officials, foreign dignitaries and other mourners paid their respects to Iran’s late Supreme Leader, slain by US and Israeli bombs.
Iran is staging a week of mass funeral processions for Khamenei, whose 37-year reign was brought to an end in February by the first airstrike of the war, in a show of public devotion to the Islamic Republic’s theocratic state and revolutionary zeal.
India had a considerable presence in Tehran on Friday as the week-long funeral ceremonies began.
While India was officially represented by minister of state in the external affairs ministry Pabitra Margherita and Bihar governor Lt Gen. (retd) Syed Ata Hasnain, at least two political parties sent their representatives to Tehran and an all-religion group also flew to the Iranian capital to be part of the ceremonies.
A week after Iran had officially invited Prime Minister Narendra Modi to attend the funeral, India on Thursday announced that Margherita and Hasnain will attend the funeral. The external affairs ministry said: “The high-level representation in the ceremony underscores the importance of civilisational ties, including people-to-people connection, between the two countries, providing a robust foundation to political andeconomic engagements.”
The Congress sent former external affairs minister Salman Khurshid as its representative. The PDP was the only other party among the several that received invites and Mehbooba Mufti travelled to Tehran on Friday. A multi-faith group of religious leaders was also present.
"Represented India at the funeral ceremony of His Eminence Grand Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei in Tehran today, along with MoS External Affairs @PmargheritaBJP. Also extended deepest condolences to the families of those who lost their lives in the recent conflict," Hasnain said in a social media post.
In a separate post, Margherita said he and the Bihar governor "represented India at the funeral ceremony" and "conveyed our respects on behalf of the Government and the people of India".
Mufti, in a social media post, said it was "an honour" to be in Tehran to express her deepest condolences and solidarity over the death of Khamenei, whom she described as "a revered leader who dared to stand against the tide and fought for the oppressed".
Khamenei’s body was expected to be taken to Qom, Najaf and Kerbala, the great Shia centres of Iran and Iraq, before being laid to rest on Thursday in Mashhad, home to the country’s holiest pilgrim shrine.
His coffin was unveiled late on Thursday to a throng of sobbing supporters, swaying and beating their heads in time to a sung lament as flowers were thrown from the bier into the crowd. On Friday, the coffin — and those of family members killed with him — was laid in state in the great prayer hall built to honour his predecessor, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini.
A black turban, worn by clerics claiming descent from Islam’s Prophet Mohammed, lay on the coffin on a folded chequered scarf, a symbol in Iran of militant revolutionary ideals and solidaritywith Palestinians.
Support for the clerical leadership is paper thin, analysts say, and the new Supreme Leader, Khamenei’s son Mojtaba Khamenei, has not been seen in any new image since being wounded in the strike that killed his father.
Representatives from Russia and China were expected to attend. Top Iraqi, Armenian and Pakistani politicians arrived in Tehranfor the funeral.
Bibi-Trump call
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke with US President Donald Trump on Friday and the two leaders agreed to meet soon in the US, Netanyahu's office said.
The statement did not specify when the meeting would take place.
