India to be represented at Ayatollah Khamenei’s funeral by Bihar governor, MoS External Affairs
By S A H Rizvi
Chief of Bureau, New Delhi
The Times Kuwait
Bihar Governor Lt Gen (Retd) Syed Ata Hasnain and Minister of State for External Affairs Pabitra Margherita will represent India at the funeral ceremonies for Iran’s former Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, in Tehran next month
The delegation will attend on behalf of the Government of India following an invitation from Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Gen Hasnain who is leading the delegation said he is honoured to represent Hon’ble Prime minister at the last rites of Iran spiritual leader Ayatollah Khamenei in Tehran.
Mr Modi received a formal invitation but will not attend, as he is due to be on official visits to Indonesia, New Zealand and Australia at the same time.
Khamenei was killed in a US‑Israeli airstrike on February 28, this year.
Funeral events, originally scheduled for March but postponed amid regional tensions, are now slated to take place over several days in July across multiple Iranian cities.
Iran has announced a two‑day public farewell on July 4 and 5.
The main ceremonies will begin at the Imam Khomeini Grand Prayer Grounds in Tehran and be followed by a procession through the capital.
Authorities expect one of the largest public gatherings in the country’s history, with attendance estimated between 12 million and 20 million.
Also expected that the new Spiritual leader Mojtaba Khomeini will make his first public appearance since his elevation
Extensive arrangements have been put in place, including full‑capacity metro and bus services, traffic management, medical facilities and public welfare centres to handle the crowds.
Khamenei’s death on February 28 has heightened tensions across the Middle East.
