Bangladesh Speaker Hafiz Uddin Ahmad is scheduled to join the state funeral of late Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei in Tehran, State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shama Obaed Islam said on Wednesday.
Talking to reporters at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Shama Obaed said the speaker would join the event at the invitation of the Iranian government.
"Bangladesh's bilateral relationship with Iran has always been good. We have very strong people-to-people relations. We have energy cooperation with Iran," she said.
The funeral of Iran’s late Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei will begin in Tehran on July 4, and he will be buried in his hometown of Mashhad on July 9, according to Iranian state media.
Speaker Hafiz Uddin will visit Tehran at the invitation of Iranian Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, a diplomatic source told UNB.
He will pay tribute to the departed Iranian leader on behalf of Bangladesh.
In his invitation letter to his Bangladeshi counterpart, the Iranian speaker wrote: "I cordially invite you to join us so that we may host you at this historic and magnificent ceremony."
Addressing a cabinet meeting on Wednesday, Pezeshkian described the upcoming event as significant and historic, appreciating the organizations and committees overseeing the funeral arrangements in the capital, Tehran, as well as in the holy cities of Qom and Mashhad.
President Masoud Pezeshkian has reiterated his call for maintaining national unity and cohesion, saying these should be reflected in the farewell and burial ceremonies for the martyred Leader of the Islamic Revolution, Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, and several of his family members.
Iran announced funeral ceremonies for former Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei more than 100 days after he was killed in Israeli and US strikes, with processions set to begin in Tehran on July 4 and conclude with his burial in the northeastern city of Mashhad on July 9.
