Russia’s Medvedev, Pakistan’s prime minister and Taliban officials are among roughly 30 country delegations expected as Iran buries slain Ayatollah Ali Khamenei this week.
Millions of Iranians and delegations from around 30 countries are expected at funeral ceremonies for Ali Khamenei that open in Tehran this week, Iranian officials say, with senior figures from Russia, Pakistan and Afghanistan’s Taliban government among those attending.Khamenei, 86, was killed on 28 February in strikes on his residence in central Tehran.
His body has lain in state for three days at Tehran’s Grand Mosalla, the country’s largest prayer complex and the usual venue for major state occasions.
Video published by Iranian state media showed an earlier mourning ceremony Thursday night for Khamenei.The black-clad mourners, whom state media identified as coming from families of those who lost loved ones in the 12-day conflict in 2025 and the recent Iran war, threw scarves and other items for attendants to brush against the coffin, a common practice in Iran seen as a blessing.
Later, state media showed images of Khamenei’s casket draped by a red flag with white calligraphy reading “Ya Hussein,” a Shiite expression in remembrance of the 7th-century martyrdom of the Prophet Muhammad’s grandson.
It had been flying over the Imam Hussein golden-domed shrine in Karbala, in neighbouring Iraq. The flag also traditionally symbolises both the spilt blood of someone unjustly killed and a call for vengeance.
The dead being honoured include Khamenei’s son-in-law, his eldest daughter, a 14-month-old granddaughter and the wife of Iran’s new Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, the son of the previous leader who remains in hiding after reportedly being wounded in the attack.
Iran’s Parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and President Masoud Pezeshkian, key leaders in the country’s civilian government, have already paid their respects.
Who is attending
Foreign ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said at least eight heads of government or state and parliamentary speakers from 12 countries would attend, with delegations from Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan already in Tehran.
According to the list published by Iranian state-run media, Russia is sending former President and Deputy Chairman of the Security Council Dmitry Medvedev as special envoy of President Vladimir Putin. China is sending the vice chair of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress.
Afghanistan’s Taliban government will be represented by acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi, while Iranian media also report that Prime Minister Hassan Akhund and Ahmad Massoud, leader of the National Resistance Front, may attend.
Iraq’s delegation is headed by President Nizar Amidi and parliamentary speaker Haibet al-Halboosi, alongside Nechirvan Barzani, prime minister of the Kurdistan Region.Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will attend alongside army chief Asim Munir and others, while India is represented by Lieutenant General Syed Ata Hasnain, governor of Bihar, and Foreign Affairs Minister Pabitra Margherita.
Turkey is sending Vice President Cevdet Yılmaz. Azerbaijan’s delegation is led by parliamentary speaker Sahiba Gafarova, with some reports suggesting President Ilham Aliyev may also attend.
Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, Georgian President Mikheil Kavelashvili and Tajik President Emomali Rahmon are also to attend, along with Kazakhstan’s deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Yermek Kosherbayev and Turkmenistan’s Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow, chair of the People’s Council.
Further delegations are expected from Bangladesh, whose Prime Minister Tarique Rahman and parliamentary speaker Hafizuddin Ahmed are reported to be attending.
Malaysia will be represented by Agriculture Minister Mohamad Sabu after Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said he could not attend due to prior commitments.
Delegations are also expected from Oman, Qatar, Belarus, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Egypt, Ghana, Nicaragua, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Serbia and Cuba.
Iranian media also report delegations from Tunisia, Lebanon, Namibia, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, the Gambia and Thailand, as well as representatives of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation and the Economic Cooperation Organisation.
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