The Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran in India has expressed gratitude to the Indian government and an official delegation that attended the funeral ceremonies of Iran's slain Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, in Tehran.
Union minister Pabitra Margherita and Bihar Governor Syed Ata Hasnain attended the funeral ceremony on Friday and paid their respects on behalf of the government and the people of India.
In a post on X, the Iranian embassy said it "extends its heartfelt gratitude and sincere appreciation to the friendly Government and people of India, especially the official delegation that attended on behalf of the Government and people of India, for participating in the funeral ceremonies and paying tribute to the martyred Leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran, His Eminence Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei."
The embassy said the presence of "political leaders, Members of Parliament, eminent scholars, intellectuals, and leaders of India's diverse faiths and religious communities" at the ceremonies reflected the "deep historical, cultural, and human bonds" between the two nations, adding that it stood as "a powerful expression of mutual respect and sincere solidarity with the people of Iran during this time of national mourning."
It further said, "The people of Iran will never forget this gesture of friendship, compassion, and heartfelt respect," describing the Indian delegation's participation as "a valuable foundation for further strengthening the longstanding friendship between our two countries."
The embassy concluded by conveying its "sincere appreciation to all Indian officials, distinguished personalities, and the noble people of India who stood with the people of Iran and expressed their sympathy during this period of grief."
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Photographs shared alongside the statement showed members of the Indian delegation, including religious leaders from Sikh and other faith communities, at the ceremonies in Tehran, along with Iranian officials greeting the visiting dignitaries.
Khamenei, who led Iran for more than three decades, was killed in a US-Israeli airstrike on his Tehran residence on February 28, at the start of the war between Iran and the US and Israel, along with several family members.
His dayslong state funeral began on July 4 at Tehran's Imam Khomeini Grand Mosalla, with a procession through the capital on Monday, before further ceremonies planned in Qom, and later in Najaf and Karbala in Iraq, ahead of his burial at the Imam Reza shrine in Mashhad.
Several foreign dignitaries, including from Iraq, Pakistan and Turkey, have attended the ceremonies over the past few days, alongside the Indian delegation acknowledged by the Iranian embassy.
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