Union minister Pabitra Margherita and Bihar Governor Syed Ata Hasnain attended the funeral ceremony on Friday and paid their respects on behalf of the government and people of India. According to reports from the Iran in India Twitter account, the Iranian embassy expressed gratitude to the friendly Government and people of India for participating in the funeral ceremonies and paying tribute to the martyred Leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei. The delegation also included senior Congress leader Salman Khurshid and Peoples Democratic Party president Mehbooba Mufti, who paid tribute to Khamenei during the ceremonies. As per Firstpost, the Indian government was officially represented by Union Minister of State for External Affairs Pabitra Margherita and Bihar Governor Syed Ata Hasnain, with the leaders standing alongside global dignitaries to convey deep condolences on behalf of the government and the people of India.
The Iranian embassy highlighted that the presence of political leaders, Members of Parliament, eminent scholars, intellectuals, and leaders of India's diverse faiths and religious communities at the ceremonies reflected the deep historical, cultural, and human bonds between the two nations. As reported by the embassy, this participation stood as a powerful expression of mutual respect and sincere solidarity with the people of Iran during this time of national mourning. According to Firstpost, the Iranian Embassy called India's presence during the period of intense national mourning as a powerful demonstration of diplomatic solidarity, asserting that the gesture has permanently strengthened the centuries-old, civilisational bond between New Delhi and Tehran. The embassy stated that "The esteemed presence of political leaders, Members of Parliament, eminent scholars, intellectuals, and leaders of India's diverse faiths and religious communities at these solemn ceremonies reflected the deep historical, cultural, and human bonds between our two nations." They added that "It also stood as a powerful expression of mutual respect and sincere solidarity with the people of Iran during this time of national mourning."
According to the Iranian embassy statement, the people of Iran will never forget this gesture of friendship, compassion, and heartfelt respect, describing the Indian delegation's participation as a valuable foundation for further strengthening the longstanding friendship between our two countries. The embassy also thanked Indian officials, public figures and citizens who expressed sympathy following Khamenei's death. "The Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran in India once again conveys its sincere appreciation to all Indian officials, distinguished personalities, and the noble people of India who stood with the people of Iran and expressed their sympathy during this period of grief," it said. As per Firstpost, Iran's Embassy in India expressed gratitude for India's solidarity at Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's funeral, stating it reinforces civilizational ties and provides a foundation for further strengthening friendship between the two nations.
Khamenei, who led Iran for more than three decades, was killed in a US-Israeli airstrike on his Tehran residence on February 28, at the start of the war between Iran and the US and Israel, along with several family members. His dayslong state funeral began on July 4 at Tehran's Imam Khomeini Grand Mosalla, with a procession through the capital on Monday, before further ceremonies planned in Qom, and later in Najaf and Karbala in Iraq, ahead of his burial at the Imam Reza shrine in Mashhad. Following Khamenei's death, his son Mojtaba Khamenei was appointed as the new Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic. Iranian media reported that he would not attend the funeral ceremonies because of security concerns amid continued regional tensions. The massive, six-day state funeral procession, running from July 4 to July 9 across key spiritual hubs including Tehran, Qom, Najaf, and Mashhad, has drawn millions of local mourners into the streets, with the final stage seeing Khamenei flown home to Iran for burial at the Imam Reza shrine in Mashhad.
