Iran Invites PM Modi for Khamenei’s State Funeral

India Yet to Decide on Khamenei's Funeral Invite

As the invitation was handed over to the Indian embassy on Tuesday, India is yet to accept or reject the invite or decide the composition of the team that will represent India at the event. 

Modi's last visit to Tehran was in May 2016 when he met Khamenei and inked a trilateral pact with Afghanistan and Iran to build Chabahar port.

Funeral Ceremonies Scheduled From July 4–9

Khamenei was killed in an airstrike on the compound housing his office in Tehran on February 28, the same day that the US-backed war on Iran initiated. The funeral ceremonies, to be held across various Iranian cities from July 4 to July 9, are expected to bring in millions of mourning Iranians and foreign dignitaries. Details emerging indicate that the body of Khamenei will lie in state at Tehran's Grand Mosalla complex from July 4 to 5 for people to pay their final tributes. 

The funeral procession is slated to take place on July 6 and public holidays will be observed across Tehran on this day as the city prepares to bid adieu to its Supreme Leader. 

"The farewell ceremony and prayers for the martyred leader's body will be held on Saturday and Sunday, July 4th and 5th, in Tehran's Grand Mosalla, and the funeral will be held on Monday, July 6th, and Tehran province will be off for these three days," IRGC commander Hassan Hassanzadeh said.

Massive Turnout Anticipated Across Iran

The schedule for the funeral rites, which had been speculative since the news of the Supreme Leader's death surfaced on Feb 28, has finally been confirmed by Iranian authorities, with state media initially putting the date sometime in late June before officializing July.

Iranian officials expect between 10 to 20 million people to attend Khamenei's funeral ceremonies in Tehran, Mashhad, and Qom and possibly, setting an attendance record from the 10 million people present at the 1989 funeral of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, founder of the Islamic Republic.

Misri Signed Condolence Book in March

India has not publicly condemned Khamenei's killing by the US and Israel on Feb 28. Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri visited the Embassy of Iran in New Delhi and signed the condolence book on March 5.

PM Modi and S Jaishankar, Minister of External Affairs, were also in touch with Iran during the recent clashes in West Asia.