MoS Pabitra Margherita, Bihar Governor Syed Ata Hasnain to represent India at Khameneis funeral in Iran

PTC News Desk: The Indian government will send Minister of State for External Affairs  Pabitra Margherita and Bihar Governor Syed Ata Hasnain to attend the funeral of former Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.

Last week, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian invited Prime Minister Narendra Modi to attend Khamenei's funeral. The funeral ceremonies will begin on July 4 and conclude with his burial in Mashhad, the holy city in northeastern Iran where he was born, on July 9.

Khamenei, 86, was killed on February 28, the first day of US-Israeli strikes on Iran. He led the Islamic Republic  as Supreme Leader for over 30 years. According to the state media, funeral arrangements will also include ceremonies in Qom, another holy city south of Tehran, on July 7.

The timing of Khamenei's funeral had been widely discussed since his assassination in February. Under Islamic tradition, burial is usually carried out as soon as possible, ideally within a day of death, although delays can occur in special circumstances such as wartime. Earlier reports had suggested that he might be buried by the end of June, but Iranian state media later confirmed that the funeral rites would take place in July.

The funeral is expected to attract nearly 20 million mourners across Tehran, Mashhad and Qom. Pakistani officials, including Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, are also expected to attend.

If attendance reaches the projected figures, the funeral could surpass the estimated 10 million people who attended the 1989 funeral of Ruhollah Khomeini, making it one of the largest funeral gatherings in history.