Official, religious and party figures from Iraq, Lebanon, Egypt and Gulf Arab states flocked to Tehran today to attend the funeral of former Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.
Crowds and officials gathered in the Iranian capital this morning to welcome foreign and Arab delegations who came to offer their condolences.
Iraq took center stage with a high-level delegation that included President Nizar Amidi and Speaker of Parliament Hebat al-Halbousi, who held talks with Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf.
The Iraqi presence was also distinguished by its comprehensive representation, as the President of the Kurdistan Region was present, along with tribal sheikhs, members of parliament, representatives of the holy shrines in Karbala and Najaf, and factions of the "Popular Mobilization Forces".
On the Lebanese side, the Amal Movement parliamentary bloc conveyed its condolences and delivered a letter signed by Speaker of Parliament Nabih Berri.
The ceremony witnessed moving scenes with the arrival of families of political leaders from Hezbollah, led by relatives of the party’s former Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah and its former military commander Imad Mughniyeh, accompanied by leaders from various Lebanese national parties.
From Egypt, a high-level delegation led by the Speaker of the Senate, Counselor Essam El-Din Farid, participated in the funeral ceremonies, while Al-Azhar Al-Sharif and Egyptian scholars represented the religious presence.
On the Palestinian side, the "resistance factions" and religious scholars were not absent from the scene, as the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine and delegations of scholars were present to take a final look.
Lebanese Defense Minister Major General Michel Mansour also participated in the official memorial service in Tehran. He was received at Tehran Airport by Iranian Deputy Defense Minister for International Affairs Brigadier General Seyyed Hamzeh Qalandari, Director of the Middle East Department at the Iranian Foreign Ministry Mehdi Shoushtari, and Lebanese Ambassador to Iran Ahmad Sweidan.
On the Gulf front, official delegations arrived from the Sultanate of Oman, with broad participation from prominent figures and Arab ambassadors accredited to Tehran, emphasizing the strength of the ties that bind the region to Iran at this stage.
The funeral procession for the former Iranian Supreme Leader began, a seven-day route between Tehran, Qom, Iraq, and Mashhad.
The ceremony began with the reception of official and diplomatic delegations from more than 90 countries, to give the event an international and protocol-based character that confirms the presence of the state before the street.
This will be followed by two days of public farewells at the Imam Khomeini prayer hall in Tehran (Saturday and Sunday), before a large official funeral procession through the capital's streets on Monday.
