Iran invites Kharge, Salman Khurshid and Pawan Khera to Khamenei's burial ceremonies

Iran has invited Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge and senior party leaders Salman Khurshid and Pawan Khera to attend the burial ceremonies of its late supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, scheduled to be held next week.

The ceremonies will take place from July 5 to 9 across Tehran, Qom, and Mashhad.

Salman Khurshid, who heads the Congress party's foreign affairs department, said discussions were underway on the party's participation.

"The Congress president is in the process of finalising the party delegation for Iran," Khurshid said.

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Khamenei, who ruled Iran for the last three decades, was killed on February 28, the first day of massive US and Israeli air strikes on Tehran.

According to the schedule, burial ceremonies will be held in Tehran and Qom on July 5, 6, and 7, while the final ceremony is set to take place in Mashhad on July 9.

India will be represented at the events by the Minister of State for External Affairs, Pabitra Margherita, and the Bihar Governor, Ata Hasnain.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian had also invited Prime Minister Narendra Modi to attend the ceremonies.

The Congress leadership is expected to take a final call on its delegation in the coming days.