PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti, five Shia clerics in J&K get Iran’s invite to Ali Khamenei’s funeral
Iran has extended invites to several Jammu and Kashmir leaders, including former Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti and five Shia clerics, to attend the burial ceremonies
Iran has extended invites to several Jammu and Kashmir leaders, including former Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti and five Shia clerics, to attend the burial ceremonies of late Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed in an Israeli strike at the start of the war in West Asia in February this year. Mufti, who is the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) president, received a formal invitation to attend the ceremony. She is likely to visit Tehran “to pay her respects and offer condolences” to the people and the leadership of the Islamic Republic of Iran, PDP sources said.
Besides Ms. Mufti, the other leaders who received the invite include Conference (NC) MP and Shia cleric Aga Syed Ruhullah; J&K People’s Conference leader and Shia cleric Imran Ansari; Shia cleric Aga Syed Mohammad Hadi; Shia cleric Masroor Abbas Ansari and Aga Syed Hassan Mosavi Al Safavi. In one such formal invitation, the Iranian International Relations Department of the Office of the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran said a state funeral ceremony will be held in Tehran, in accordance with the national period of mourning and the protocols of the Islamic Republic.
“In light of the profound historical and strategic ties that bind the Islamic Republic of Iran and the Republic of India, I consider it a great honour to invite Your Excellency, as a distinguished guest of the Indian nation, to attend this solemn ceremony. Your presence would serve as a testament to the deep-rooted friendship and mutual respect between our two great ancient civilizations,” the letter read. Earlier in the day, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, former External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid, and party’s media and publicity wing head Pawan Khera were also said to have received the invite from Iran.
This comes amid reports that Bihar Governor Lt. General Syed Ata Hasnain (retd) and Minister of State for External Affairs Pabitra Margherita are likely to lead the Indian delegation that will travel to Iran for the funeral ceremonies. The final composition of the delegation is yet to be confirmed.
The BriefWire