PM Modi to skip Ayatollah Khamenei’s funeral; India to send high-level delegation

NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will not be attending the funeral of Iran’s late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, with New Delhi opting instead to send a high-level delegation to represent the country at the upcoming ceremonies.

Bihar Governor Syed Ata Hasnain and Union Minister of State for External Affairs Pabitra Margherita will lead the Indian delegation. A team of senior officials from the Ministry of External Affairs will also accompany them to Tehran.

The decision follows an official invitation extended to Prime Minister Modi last week by Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian. While the Prime Minister has declined to attend the event personally, the composition of the Indian delegation reflects New Delhi’s intent to maintain diplomatic protocol and show solidarity with Iran during this transition period.

The state funeral services are scheduled to be held across Iran from July 4 to July 9. Ayatollah Khamenei was killed in an attack on February 28, but the subsequent escalation of hostilities in the region forced authorities to postpone the final rites for months. The funeral procession is expected to pass through several sacred sites, including the holy city of Qom, before reaching Mashhad for the final burial.

Meanwhile, a cloud of uncertainty hangs over whether Iran’s newly appointed Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, will attend his predecessor's funeral. The new leader has completely avoided the public eye since assuming office. State media reports previously confirmed that Mojtaba Khamenei had sustained severe injuries to his face and legs during the same February 28 attack that claimed the life of the former Supreme Leader, fueling widespread speculation about his current health condition.