The representative of Iran's Supreme Leader in India, Hakim Elahi, said that it is unlikely that Iranian Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei will appear publicly at the funeral of his late father, Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, for security reasons.
In an exclusive interview with "India Today" before departing from Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi for Tehran, Elahi explained that the decision was driven entirely by security considerations, as Iran prepares for a week of funeral ceremonies amid escalating tensions with Israel, adding: "I was in Iran last week, and I met some of my friends who had met with him. They said he wanted to go out, he wanted to meet people, but the security services were not allowing him to go out."
The representative of the Iranian Supreme Leader continued: "They said: 'The matter is very serious, and we cannot provide him with security protection.' I think he will not leave."
In describing the feelings inside Iran, Elahi noted that the country has been in mourning since Khamenei’s death, and that many of his supporters believe his loss is irreplaceable.
Elahi added that people from all over Iran and from abroad are flocking to attend the funeral and express their solidarity with the late leader.
The funeral procession is expected to draw massive crowds in a show of popular support for the Islamic Republic after the war. Mourning events are also expected to last for several days, with processions planned in several cities before Khamenei is laid to rest.
When asked about Israel's threats to launch more military operations, Elahi asserted that Iran emerged from the conflict in a stronger position: "Many countries were praising Iran and saying that Iran had won the war. Iran remains very strong and ready to stand firm."
The funeral ceremonies are taking place amid ongoing regional tensions, with Iran insisting that international participation will proceed despite the security situation.
Iran had invited Indian National Congress leader Malkarjun Kharge and former Indian Foreign Minister Salman Khurshid to attend the state funeral of former Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Khurshid will travel to Tehran representing the Congress Party, carrying a message of condolence from Kharge.
In explaining the importance of his visit to Tehran, Khurshid said that India and Iran have a long-standing relationship that should be reflected in difficult times.
Today, July 3, the funeral procession for Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei begins in the capital, Tehran, with the participation of official delegations representing 30 countries.
Khamenei's body is scheduled to lie in state on July 4 and 5 at Tehran's Grand Mosque, the country's largest religious and social complex, to allow mourners to pay their final respects.
On the sixth of the same month, a solemn funeral procession will traverse the main streets of the capital, before the body is transported to Qom, Iran's most prominent religious center, for a mourning ceremony on July 7. The ceremonies will conclude with his burial on July 9 in his hometown of Mashhad.
