Iran has invited Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) national president Nitin Nabin and Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge for the funeral of its former Supreme Leader Seyyed Ali Khamenei, who was killed in the US and Israeli strikes on February 28.
According to reports, both Kharge and Nabin has been invited as the head of the ruling and principal Opposition parties in India. Neither has confirmed their participation so far.
Former External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid has also reportedly recieved the invitation for Khamenei’s funeral.
According to a news agency, Bihar Governor Lt Gen Syed Ata Hasnain and Minister of State for External Affairs Pabitra Margherita will represent India at Ali Khamenei funeral.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian had reportedly invited Prime Minister Narendra Modi but the latter decided to skip the ceremony and instead send the Bihar Governor and MoS Margherita.
Ali was killed in the US and Israeli strikes on February 28 but his burial could not be held due to the war.
With a temporary peace deal now signed and negotiations for a permanent agreement currently underway in Switzerland, Tehran will hold a multi-day funeral scheduled to begin on July 4.
The rituals will include events in Qom, a holy city south of Tehran, on July 7 and will conclude with his final burial on July 9 in his hometown, the holy city of Mashhad in northeastern Iran.
The ceremonies would be held on July 4 and 5 and include public farewell events, funeral prayers and a funeral procession.
According to Iranian State media, two main ceremonies have been planned in Tehran, with the first comprising the public farewell and funeral prayers at the Imam Khomeini Grand Prayer Grounds and the second involving the funeral procession at a separate location, as reported by Press TV.