MoS Pabitra Margherita, Bihar Governor to represent India at funeral of Iran’s late Supreme Leader

Minister of State for External Affairs Pabitra Margherita and Bihar Governor Lt. General (Retd.) Syed Ata Hasnain will visit Iran on July 3 to attend the funeral ceremony of Grand Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, the late Supreme Leader of Iran.

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said, “The high-level representation in the ceremony underscores the importance of civilizational ties, including people-to-people connection, between the two countries, providing a robust foundation to political and economic engagements.”

Ali Khamenei, who ruled Iran for 36 years and was a fierce critic of Washington, was killed on February 28 – the day the U.S. and Israel began striking Iran, triggering a regional conflict in the Gulf.

Funeral processions for Khamenei will begin on July 4 in Tehran and conclude on July 9 with his burial in his hometown of Mashhad, with additional ceremonies planned in Qom and Iraq in-between these dates.

Iranian media reported heightened security measures during the funeral period, while the head of Iran’s Civil Aviation Organisation said on Wednesday that temporary airspace restrictions would be implemented over several cities including Tehran and Mashhad.

(With Reuters inputs)

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