Ahead of the formal state funeral, several prominent Indian political leaders paid tribute to Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in Tehran. Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti shared a video on the social media platform X, stating, "An honour for me to be here in Tehran to express my deepest condolences and solidarity on the martyrdom of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Sayyed Ali Khamenei." Congress leader Salman Khurshid also paid his respects before the official ceremony.
In an official statement issued on Thursday, the Ministry of External Affairs confirmed that Pabitra Margherita and Syed Ata Hasnain would visit the Islamic Republic of Iran on July 3 to attend the state funeral of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
The ministry stated that India's high-level participation in the ceremony underscores the importance of the deep-rooted civilizational relationship and enduring people-to-people connections between the two countries. According to the statement, these historical ties continue to provide a strong foundation for expanding political and economic engagement between India and Iran.
Apart from the official Indian delegation, Iran invited several other Indian dignitaries, including leaders from the opposition Congress Party, Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party, and political leaders from Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir.
Although Iran also extended an invitation to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, he will not attend the funeral as he is scheduled to begin a three-nation diplomatic tour of Indonesia, Australia, and New Zealand on Monday.
The developments come as India remains actively engaged in a series of significant diplomatic initiatives. Japan's Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi is in New Delhi on the final day of her three-day official visit to India. On Thursday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi signed several agreements aimed at strengthening bilateral cooperation in artificial intelligence, defence, and the energy sector. Both leaders also agreed to upgrade the economic partnership between India and Japan.
Following the conclusion of Prime Minister Takaichi's visit, Prime Minister Modi will shift his focus to his forthcoming diplomatic tour of Indonesia, Australia, and New Zealand, underscoring India's continued emphasis on expanding strategic partnerships across the Indo-Pacific while simultaneously maintaining its longstanding diplomatic engagement with Iran through high-level representation at the state funeral of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
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