Paying tribute to Ali Khamenei: Delegations from nearly 100 countries arrive for the ceremony PHOTO/VIDEO

Khamenei was killed at the age of 86 in a joint airstrike by the United States and Israel on his compound on February 28, on the first day of the US–Israeli war against Iran.

According to the organizers, the ceremony is being held in the prayer hall of the Imam Khomeini complex, where political and religious figures are present, as well as representatives of various movements and organizations from abroad.

The coffin with Khamenei, along with several members of his family, has been placed in the Grand Musalla, one of the largest prayer complexes in Iran.

The ceremony is expected to mark one of the largest public funerals in modern history and is expected to surpass in scale and size the funeral of former Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini in 1989, which was attended by around 10 million mourners.

• Ali Khamenei's Funeral: Up to 20 million mourners expected; Six-day ceremony across five cities

 

The current Supreme Leader of Iran and Khamenei’s son, Mojtaba Khamenei, will not attend the funeral, his representative in India announced on Thursday.

EPA/YAHYA ARHAB

“The decision was made for security reasons following Israel’s latest threat to kill Mojtaba Khamenei.”

Today is the event that most foreign leaders are expected to attend. On Saturday and Sunday, public ceremonies will be held in Tehran. On Monday and Tuesday, funeral processions will move south toward the Iranian city of Qom. On Wednesday, an official reception will be held at Najaf International Airport in Iraq, followed by public processions in the Iraqi cities of Najaf and Karbala, according to Iranian and Iraqi officials.

The body will then be returned to Iran for the final burial ceremony next Friday at the Imam Reza shrine in the northeastern city of Mashhad. Mashhad is also the place where Khamenei was born.

Which countries are sending heads of state or government?

Iranian officials say that at least eight heads of state or government have arrived in Tehran, along with speakers of parliament from around 12 countries, as well as foreign ministers and other senior officials.

Among those present, according to Iranian media reports, are delegations from neighboring countries, as well as representatives of movements and organizations that Iran describes as part of the “Axis of Resistance,” including participants from Syria, Lebanon, Iraq, Morocco, and Turkey.

Pakistan: Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will attend the state funeral of former Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the Pakistani Foreign Ministry announced on Thursday.

Pakistan played a central role in mediating between the United States and Iran, helping secure a ceasefire in April and a memorandum of understanding in June that now serves as the basis for broader negotiations aimed at ending the war.

Tajikistan: Tajikistan’s President Emomali Rahmon will also attend the funeral.

Armenia: Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan will represent his country at the commemoration.

Georgia: Georgian President Mikheil Kavelashvili will also attend the commemoration, the country confirmed.

Which countries are sending other senior government officials?

Turkey: Turkish Vice President Cevdet Yılmaz will attend Khamenei’s funeral, Ankara confirmed.

India: India said on Thursday that its deputy foreign minister and a state governor will represent the country at the state funeral of former Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Bihar Governor Syed Ata Hasnain and Deputy Foreign Minister Pabitra Margherita will visit Iran on Friday, the Indian Foreign Ministry said. Hasnain, a former lieutenant general in the Indian Army, is the highest-ranking Shia holding public office in India. Indian opposition leaders Salman Khurshid, a former foreign minister, and Mehbooba Mufti are also part of the country’s delegation.

China: Senior Chinese lawmaker He Wei will attend the funeral of the late Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in Tehran, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said on Thursday. He is the vice chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress, China’s parliament.

Russia: Deputy Chairman of Russia’s Security Council Dmitry Medvedev will attend the ceremony on Friday, the Kremlin confirmed on Thursday.

Afghanistan: Iran’s Foreign Ministry confirmed that Foreign Minister of the Taliban government Amir Khan Muttaqi traveled to Tehran on Thursday to attend the state funeral. Abdul Ghani Baradar, the First Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs, is also attending the state funeral.

Bangladesh: Bangladesh’s Speaker of Parliament, Hafizuddin Ahmed, is expected to attend the state funeral in Tehran, according to Bangladeshi media citing official notifications.

Iraq: The Speaker of the Iraqi Parliament is also present, along with a parliamentary delegation. The President of the Iraqi Kurdistan Region is also present.

Turkmenistan: The Turkmen delegation is led by the Chairman of the People’s Council, Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow.

Oman: An Omani delegation has landed in Tehran.