&imwidth=800&imheight=600&format=webp&quality=medium "Iran invites India’s ruling BJP and opposition Congress to Khamenei state funeral")
New Delhi: Iran has extended formal invitations to senior figures from both India’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the opposition Congress party to attend the multi-day state funeral of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed in US-Israeli strikes in February. Invitations have been sent to BJP National President Nitin Nabin, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, and Congress foreign affairs chair Salman Khurshid.
Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri signed the condolence book at the Iranian Embassy in New Delhi shortly after Khamenei’s death. The Indian government will be represented by a special delegation led by Bihar Governor Lt Gen (Retd) Syed Ata Hasnain and Minister of State for External Affairs Pabitra Margherita. The funeral ceremonies, one of the largest in Iran’s history, are scheduled from 4-9 July across Tehran, Qom, and Mashhad, with processions also planned in Iraq.
Authorities expect millions of mourners amid heightened security following the regional conflict. The invitations show the civilisational ties between New Delhi and Tehran, even as both nations navigate a volatile West Asian landscape.
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Since the February conflict, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has maintained communication with President Masoud Pezeshkian. In multiple phone calls, the leaders discussed de-escalation, the safety of Indian nationals, secure shipping lanes through the Strait of Hormuz vital for India’s oil imports, and the need for dialogue over confrontation. India has consistently advocated for peace, condemning attacks on civilian infrastructure while emphasising diplomacy.
Iran has also invited PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti and Shia members of Indian Parliament, Ruhullah Mehdi, Haji Haneefa, Imran Masood and Afzal Ansari.
