Khamenei’s farewell: Iranian Speaker, Foreign Minister in tears as global leaders gather in Tehran

New Delhi: Funeral ceremonies for Iran’s former Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, began in Tehran on Friday, drawing senior Iranian officials, foreign dignitaries and high-level delegations from around the world, amid poignant scenes of grief as Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi broke down in tears during the farewell.

Tehran Governor Mohammad Sadegh Motamedian told Iran’s Fars News Agency that extensive security measures were in place to ensure the smooth conduct of the multi-day ceremonies and the safe movement of mourners. “We will have the highest level of security and safety at the farewell and send-off ceremony for the martyred Leader,” he said, adding that the gates of Tehran’s Grand Mosalla Prayer Grounds would open at 6 a.m. local time, with the possibility of an earlier opening if required.

Fars reported that authorities in Baghdad had announced a shutdown of the city to facilitate funeral processions linked to the late Iranian leader, a decision made by Baghdad Governor Atwan Al-Atwani as a mark of respect and to manage large crowds.

India was represented at the Tehran ceremony by Minister of State for External Affairs Pabitra Margherita and Bihar Governor Lt. Gen. (Retd.) Syed Ata Hasnain, the Embassy of Iran in India said in a post on X, noting that “Indian dignitaries pay tribute to the martyred Leader of Iran, His Eminence Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei.” The embassy also shared photographs showing PDP president Mehbooba Mufti, Congress leader Salman Khurshid and several other Indian attendees.

Russia sent a senior delegation led by Deputy Chairman of Russia’s Security Council Dmitry Medvedev, whose participation in the funeral events was confirmed by the Russian Foreign Ministry in a statement posted on X.

Iran’s state broadcaster Press TV reported that the ceremony at the Grand Mosalla Prayer Grounds was attended by the country’s top political and judicial leadership, including President Masoud Pezeshkian, Parliament Speaker Ghalibaf, Judiciary Chief Gholam-Hossein Mohseni Eje’i and Expediency Council Chairman Ayatollah Sadegh Amoli Larijani.

Several international leaders and senior representatives were also present, Press TV said, listing Turkmenistan People’s Council Chairman Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow, Iraqi President Nizar Amedi, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, Tajik President Emomali Rahmon, Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Pakistan Army Chief General Asim Munir and Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani among the attendees. Parliamentary speakers from Iraq, Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Uzbekistan, Belarus and Kyrgyzstan; foreign ministers from Nicaragua, Congo and Burkina Faso; Egypt’s Senate president; the Secretary General of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad movement; and the Speaker of Oman’s Parliament were also in attendance.

The gathering further included Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Secretary General Nurlan Yermekbayev, senior representatives of the D-8 Organisation for Economic Cooperation and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, Turkish Vice President Cevdet Yilmaz, Saudi Deputy Foreign Minister Waleed Al Khereiji, Dmitry Medvedev and several other international delegations, underscoring the scale of global participation.

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said the ceremonies had attracted “extensive international participation”, stating that at least eight heads of government, including presidents and prime ministers, along with parliamentary speakers from 12 countries, were expected to attend. He added that many other nations had sent foreign ministers, cabinet members or special envoys, and that public figures and delegations from nearly 100 countries were taking part, including lawmakers and representatives from several Eastern European nations. Countries that had officially backed military action by Israel and the United States against Iran were not invited, he noted.

Press TV described the funeral as one of the largest international gatherings hosted by Iran in recent years, with officials estimating that between 15 and 20 million people could participate in the mourning ceremonies over several days. Additional rituals are scheduled in Qom, Baghdad, Karbala and Najaf, with the final burial planned in Mashhad on July 9.

(Inputs from IANS)