Khamenei Funeral Begins Bangladesh Speaker Leaders Attend

Representatives from more than 100 countries are expected to attend the state funeral of Iran's former Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, according to Iranian state broadcaster IRIB.

The funeral ceremonies began in Tehran on Friday and will be attended by heads of state, heads of government and senior officials from around the world.

According to the information provided, Khamenei was killed at the age of 86 in a reported joint US-Israeli airstrike on February 28 after his compound in Tehran was attacked on the first day of the conflict.

Seven-day mourning programme

Khamenei's burial was originally planned for March but was postponed because of the prolonged conflict.

The funeral ceremonies will continue for seven days across Iran and Iraq.

His body and the bodies of several family members will lie in state at Tehran's Grand Mosalla prayer complex on Saturday and Sunday to allow the public to pay their respects.

The funeral procession will travel to the Iranian city of Qom on Monday and Tuesday. On Wednesday, a formal reception will be held at Najaf International Airport in Iraq, followed by mourning processions in Najaf and Karbala.

The body will then return to Iran for burial next Friday at the Imam Reza shrine in Mashhad, Khamenei's birthplace.

Leaders expected to attend

Several countries have confirmed participation at different levels.

Heads of state and government

• Pakistan: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif
• Tajikistan: President Emomali Rahmon
• Armenia: Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan
• Georgia: President Mikheil Kavelashvili

Senior representatives

• Turkey: Vice President Cevdet Yilmaz
• India: Bihar Governor Syed Ata Hasnain, Minister of State for External Affairs Pabitra Margherita, former Foreign Minister Salman Khurshid and former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti
• China: He Wei, Vice Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress
• Russia: Deputy Chairman of the Security Council Dmitry Medvedev
• Afghanistan: Acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi and Deputy Prime Minister Abdul Ghani Baradar
• Bangladesh: National Parliament Speaker Hafizuddin Ahmed

One of the largest state funerals

Iranian officials say the ceremony could become one of the largest state funerals in modern history. They believe attendance could surpass the estimated 10 million people who took part in the funeral of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini in 1989.

According to the report, Iran's current Supreme Leader and Khamenei's son, Mojtaba Khamenei, will not attend because of security concerns following reported Israeli assassination threats.

Meanwhile, Iran's Khatam al-Anbia Central Headquarters Commander Ali Abdollahi warned the United States and Israel against any new military action.

He said Iran's armed forces are prepared to respond to any threat or attack against the country.