Tehran, July 3 (IANS) Minister of State (MoS) for External Affairs Pabitra Margherita and Bihar Governor Lieutenant General Syed Ata Hasnain (retired), paid their tributes representing India at the funeral ceremony of former Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei in Tehran.

“Governor of Bihar Lieutenant General Syed Ata Hasnain and I represented India at the funeral ceremony for Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, former Supreme Leader of Iran, in Tehran. Conveyed our respects on behalf of the government and the people of India,” MoS Margherita wrote on social media platform X.

Khamenei was killed in an epochal attack by the US and Israel on February 28, marking an inflexion point in the 46-year Shia-theocratic rule. His son, Mojtaba Khamenei, was selected as Iran’s new Supreme Leader in March this year.

“The high-level representation in the ceremony underscores the importance of civilisational ties, including people-to-people connection, between the two countries, providing a robust foundation to political and economic engagements,” a statement issued by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said.

Farewell ceremonies will be held at Imam Khomeini’s Mosalla prayer hall in Tehran on July 4-5, followed by funeral procession ceremony in Tehran on July 6.

Another funeral procession ceremony will take place in Iran’s Qom city on July 7.

The final funeral ceremony will be held in Mashhad on July 9, followed by burial at the holy shrine of Imam Reza, Tasnim news agency reported.

On March 5, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, on behalf of the Indian government, signed the condolence book at the Iranian Embassy in New Delhi and offered condolences on the death of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

Misri met Iranian Ambassador to India Mohammad Fathali and offered condolences over the demise of Khamenei.

“Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri visited the Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran and signed the condolence book, on behalf of the people and the Indian government, on the demise of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Syed Ali Khamenei,” MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal posted on X.

–IANS

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