Representatives from Tehran-backed militant groups Hezbollah and Hamas attended the funeral ceremonies of late Iranian supreme leader Ali Khamenei on Saturday and met with Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, state media reported.
Tehran has for years provided support to Palestinian group Hamas, Lebanon’s Hezbollah and Yemen’s Houthis — all designated terrorist groups by the United States and other western nations, making itself the target of international sanctions.
The Hezbollah delegation included officials and families of killed and wounded members, the group told Lebanese media. It was headed by senior official and former minister Mohammed Fneish.
Hamas, meanwhile, said in a statement that its delegation was led by the head of its political bureau, Mohammed Darwish and included other bureau members such as Bassem Naim.
In July 2024, Ismail Haniyeh, the political leader of Hamas, was killed in his accommodation in Tehran by an Israeli operation after he attended the inauguration ceremony for Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian.
Most foreign officials and dignitaries paid their respects on Friday to Khamenei, who ruled Iran from 1989 and was killed aged 86 along with several members of his family and top officials in a US-Israeli strike on February 28, triggering the war in the Middle East.
On Saturday, crowds of people gathered at the Grand Mosalla religious complex in the Iranian capital to bid farewell to the late supreme leader, who had the final say in major state policies during his tenure.
The ceremonies at Tehran Grand Mosalla will continue on Sunday, which was declared a national holiday by the government. The weekend in Iran runs from Thursday to Friday.
The foreign ministry in a statement on Saturday urged the public to attend the ceremonies en masse, to “show the world the greatness of Iran and the glory of national unity and authority.
AFP
