Iran invites PM Modi to Khamenei's funeral. Ex-Foreign Secretary has a suggestion

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has invited Prime Minister Narendra Modi to attend the funeral of former Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, sources told India Today TV on Wednesday. 

The invitation comes as Iran and the United States continue peace talks following months of conflict in West Asia.

While New Delhi has yet to confirm or issue any statement, a former foreign secretary suggested what the government should do.  

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Kanwal Sibal, former foreign secretary and ambassador, said India should send a high-level representative as "this is an opportunity to convey a positive political message to Iran."

He further argued that participation would signal India's opposition to the assassination of foreign leaders. "It will also convey a message against political assassination of foreign leaders," Sibal said.

According to him, the recent thaw in relations between Washington and Tehran has created room for such engagement. "The ongoing peace talks between the US and Iran have created the necessary space for us," he added.

Khamenei's funeral is scheduled for July

Sources told India Today TV that Iranian President Pezeshkian has invited Prime Minister Modi to attend the funeral ceremonies of Ali Khamenei.

The funeral rites are scheduled to begin on July 4 and conclude with Khamenei's burial in the northeastern holy city of Mashhad, his hometown, on July 9.

The 86-year-old former Supreme Leader was killed on February 28 during Israeli and US airstrikes on Tehran. He had served as the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic for 36 years.

Iranian state media said funeral ceremonies will also be held in the holy city of Qom on July 7.

Millions are expected to attend

The funeral is expected to draw nearly 20 million mourners across Tehran, Mashhad and Qom, according to reports. Pakistani officials, including Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, are also expected to attend.

If those attendance figures materialise, the gathering could surpass the estimated 10 million people who attended the 1989 funeral of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, founder of the Islamic Republic.

(With inputs from Pranay Upadhyaya)