'A Revered Leader': Mehbooba Mufti, Salman Khurshid Attend Khamenei Funeral in Tehran
New Delhi: An official Indian delegation comprising Bihar Governor Syed Ata Hasnain and Minister of State for External Affairs Pabitra Margherita was among representatives from close to 100 nations who gathered in Tehran in Iran on Friday (July 3) to attend the state funeral of its late Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei. Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chief Mehbooba Mufti and senior Congress leader Salman Khurshid were also among a group of religious and political leaders from India who paid their last respects in the formal week-long ceremony.
The Special Representatives of the Government of the Republic of India, Bihar Governor Lieutenant General (Retd.) Syed Ata Hasnain and Mr. Pabitra Margherita, Minister of State for External Affairs, paid tribute to the martyred Leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran," the Iranian Embassy in New Delhi said on X.
The Special Representatives of the Government of the Republic of India, Bihar Governor Lieutenant General (Retd.) Syed Ata Hasnain and Mr. Pabitra Margherita, Minister of State for External Affairs, paid tribute to the martyred Leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran. pic.twitter.com/bFVgxV6XSn
— Iran in India (@Iran_in_India) July 3, 2026
Mufti left New Delhi on Thursday evening and her presence is notable since she is the sole non-Shia politician from Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh who has received an invitation from Tehran for the funeral proceedings.
"An honour for me to be here in Tehran to express my deepest condolences & solidarity on the martyrdom of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Sayyed Ali Khamenei- a revered leader who dared to stand against the tide & fought for the oppressed," Mufti wrote on X, along with a video showing the Indian delegation paying homage to Khamenei. It was reposted by the Iranian Embassy.
An honour for me to be here in Tehran to express my deepest condolences & solidarity on the martyrdom of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Sayyed Ali Khamenei- a revered leader who dared to stand against the tide & fought for the oppressed. pic.twitter.com/dyfRbNXhsr
— Mehbooba Mufti (@MehboobaMufti) July 3, 2026
The embassy shared another post showing religious leaders from India at Imam Khomeini's Grand Mosalla, one of Iran’s largest prayer complexes, in Tehran where the opening leg of the funeral has started.
Tributes Paid by Indian Religious Leaders to the Martyred Leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran, His Eminence Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei pic.twitter.com/C1CmjH4Ux7
— Iran in India (@Iran_in_India) July 3, 2026
A delegation of Indian religious leaders paid tribute to the martyred Leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. pic.twitter.com/Ji1i3vNkGm
— Iran in India (@Iran_in_India) July 3, 2026
With tears in his eyes and a heart filled with grief, All JK Shia Association President, Molvi @imranrezaansari pays his final tributes to Ayatullah Syed Ali Khamenei, standing beside his blessed coffin. It is a moment of profound sorrow, reverence, and reflection,
1/1 pic.twitter.com/RUeSxq2IK4— All J&K Shia Association (@AJKSAOfficial) July 3, 2026
Last month, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian invited Prime Minister Narendra Modi and PDP, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Congress leaders including Mallikarjun Kharge, Pawan Khera and Khurshid. BJP president
As per reports, Iranian authorities have deployed extensive security to safeguard the funeral procession as it will travel across several cities in both Iran and neighbouring Iraq.
The mourning period, which began today, will stretch across seven days. Friday's event is the main gathering for visiting foreign leaders, Al Jazeera reported.
On Saturday and Sunday, there will be public ceremonies in Grand Mosalla and the coffins of Khamenei and his other family members will be placed.
Next, the procession will move south towards Qom on Monday and Tuesday, before an official reception at Najaf International Airport in Iraq on Wednesday, followed by public processions through Najaf and Karbala.
On July 10 (Friday), Khamenei will be buried at the shrine of Imam Reza in Mashhad, which is the town where he was born.
As per reports, aerial surveillance could be used to manage crowd through the week. Current Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei will not be present at his father's funeral due to security reasons.
Khamenei, 86 was killed in a joint US-Israeli air strike on his compound on February 28, the first day of the US-Israel war on Iran. His funeral had initially been planned for March but was postponed as the war continued.
This article went live on July third, two thousand twenty six, at seventeen minutes past seven in the evening.The Wire is now on WhatsApp. Follow our channel for sharp analysis and opinions on the latest developments.
