Tehran [Iran], July 5 (ANI): Iran’s Tasnim News Agency has claimed that 13 countries either withdrew or reduced their participation in the funeral ceremony of former Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in Tehran following alleged diplomatic pressure from the United States.
Citing a senior source, Tasnim reported that Washington conducted an extensive diplomatic campaign in the days leading up to the ceremony to discourage foreign participation. The funeral, held at Imam Khomeini Grand Musalla in central Tehran, was attended by delegations from several countries.
According to Tasnim, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio issued confidential instructions on June 26 to U.S. embassies and diplomatic missions, directing them to use all available means to persuade host countries that attending the ceremony would be viewed as an “unfriendly act” with possible consequences for bilateral relations with Washington.
The source also claimed that U.S. ambassadors in several African countries warned that participation could result in reductions in U.S. development assistance. It further alleged that Rubio personally discussed the matter with counterparts in at least five Arab countries, citing statements attributed to two unnamed Arab diplomats.
According to the report, at least 13 countries—including three from Eastern Europe, five from Africa, two Persian Gulf Arab states, and two major East Asian countries—either withdrew or lowered the level of their representation at the ceremony because of the alleged U.S. pressure.
Tasnim also reported that some countries sought to explain their absence through diplomatic channels or via their missions in Geneva and New York, while others attempted to send lower-level delegations, which the report said were not accepted by Iranian authorities.
Meanwhile, public funeral prayers for Ali Khamenei and four members of his family continued in Tehran on Sunday, marking the second day of the farewell ceremonies.
Large crowds gathered near the Imam Khomeini Grand Musalla, where Khamenei’s body has lain in state since Saturday for public mourning and official ceremonies.
According to the report, Ali Khamenei was killed in U.S.-Israeli strikes on Feb. 28, an event that was followed by a broader regional conflict in West Asia.
Last month, the United States and Iran agreed to a 14-point memorandum of understanding aimed at ending hostilities and opening a 60-day dialogue period for technical talks, including discussions on the Strait of Hormuz and Iran’s nuclear program.
Following Ali Khamenei’s death, his son, Mojtaba Khamenei, was appointed Iran’s new supreme leader.
According to Al Jazeera, Mojtaba Khamenei will not attend the six-day funeral ceremonies for his father, citing security concerns amid continued Israeli threats to assassinate him. (ANI)
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