Iran is expecting around 50 official foreign delegations to attend the farewell, funeral and burial ceremonies for Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, according to Vahid Jalalzadeh, Secretary of the International Committee of the Martyr Leader’s Farewell Headquarters.
Speaking to Iran’s Fars News Agency, Jalalzadeh said supporters of the Islamic Republic from around the world had expressed their willingness to travel to Iran after the announcement of the ceremony schedule. He said authorities had made arrangements to facilitate the arrival of foreign visitors.
Jalalzadeh said foreign participants would be divided into three categories: ordinary supporters travelling independently, prominent public figures including academics, clerics, journalists and members of resistance movements, and official state delegations.
According to Jalalzadeh, nearly 50 official delegations have so far confirmed their participation.
Among the senior officials expected to attend are the National Leader and the Head of the People’s Council of Turkmenistan, the presidents of Tajikistan, Iraq and Georgia, and the head of the Kurdistan Regional Government in Iraq.
At the prime ministerial level, Jalalzadeh said the prime ministers of Pakistan, Armenia and Afghanistan would attend. He added that the head of the Kabul administration would also travel to Iran with a delegation that includes Afghanistan’s foreign minister.
Russia is expected to be represented by Dmitry Medvedev, Deputy Chairman of Russia’s Security Council. Jalalzadeh also said Pakistan’s army chief and the vice chairman of China’s National People’s Congress would attend.
He further stated that the speakers of the parliaments of Iraq, Oman, Qatar, Belarus, Azerbaijan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Bangladesh and Egypt, as well as the speakers of Pakistan’s Senate and National Assembly, are expected to participate.
Jalalzadeh said the foreign ministers of Afghanistan, Kazakhstan, Ghana, Nicaragua and the Democratic Republic of the Congo would also be present. He added that Turkey’s First Vice President and officials from several other countries would attend as ministers or special envoys.
According to Jalalzadeh, Serbia, Tunisia, Lebanon, Namibia, Malaysia, Cuba, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, India, Gambia and Thailand will also send representatives at various levels.