ISTANBUL/Anadolu

Arab delegations participated on Friday in official farewell ceremonies in the Iranian capital Tehran for former Iranian leader Ali Khamenei, who was killed in a US-Israeli airstrike on February 28.

According to Arab and Iranian media, official and popular delegations from Iraq, Oman, Qatar, Lebanon, Yemen, Egypt, and Saudi Arabia participated in the farewell ceremony, as part of funeral arrangements that will last several days.

** Iraq

The Iraqi News Agency (INA) reported that Parliament Speaker Hebat al-Halbousi participated on Friday in Khamenei's funeral ceremony.

For its part, the semi-official Iranian Fars News Agency said Iraq participated with a high-level delegation that included, alongside al-Halbousi, President Nizar Amidi, Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani, tribal chiefs, parliament deputies, representatives of the holy shrines in Karbala and Najaf, and factions of the Popular Mobilization Forces.

The official Iranian news agency IRNA reported that Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian received on Friday his Iraqi counterpart Amidi and his accompanying delegation.

** Yemen

Al-Masirah TV, affiliated with the Yemeni Houthi group, reported that a delegation from the group traveled to Iran to participate in Khamenei's funeral ceremony, without mentioning the names of the delegation members.

** Lebanon

Lebanese Defense Minister Brigadier General Michel Mansi participated in the official memorial ceremony in Tehran, according to a ministry statement on the American platform X.

The statement explained that Mansi participated as a representative of the Lebanese Republic and offered condolences to Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, Acting Defense Minister Brigadier General Seyed Majid Ibn al-Ridha, and Head of the Judiciary Gholam Hossein Mohseni-Ejei.

Lebanon's Al-Manar TV, close to Hezbollah, reported that a leadership delegation from the party participated in the funeral ceremony.

Al-Mayadeen TV reported the participation of Lebanese figures in the same ceremony, without naming them.

However, Fars reported that a delegation from the Amal Movement parliamentary bloc attended the ceremony and handed over a letter signed by Parliament Speaker and Movement Leader Nabih Berri, without specifying to whom the letter was delivered.

** Egypt

Fars reported that a high-level delegation led by Egyptian Senate Speaker Essam el-Din Farid participated in the funeral ceremony, while Al-Mayadeen said that Al-Azhar and Egyptian scholars also attended the funeral.

** Palestine

Hamas said in a statement that a leadership delegation from the movement, headed by the head of the leadership council (Mohammad Darwish), participated in the funeral ceremony in Tehran.

The delegation offered condolences to the Iranian leadership and people, expressing sympathy for the death of Khamenei and those killed with him, and affirming the movement's solidarity with Iran in this tragedy.

The delegation also stressed the strength of the relationship between the movement and Iran, praising 'Iran's support for the Palestinian people and their resistance.'

Fars also noted the participation of Palestinian factions in Khamenei's farewell ceremony, including the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine.

** Gulf States

According to Fars, official delegations from Bahrain, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia arrived, along with dignitaries and ambassadors of Arab countries accredited to Tehran, to participate in the farewell ceremony.

IRNA reported that Qatari Shura Council Speaker Hassan bin Abdullah Al-Ghanim arrived in Tehran heading an official delegation to participate in the funeral ceremony.

Meanwhile, the Oman News Agency reported that an official delegation led by State Council President Abdul Malik bin Abdullah Al-Khalili participated in Khamenei's funeral ceremony and conveyed the condolences of Sultan Haitham bin Tariq to the Iranian leadership.

According to Iranian media, heads of government, parliaments, foreign ministers, and envoys from dozens of countries are expected to participate in the funeral ceremony.

Iran began official farewell ceremonies for Khamenei in Tehran on Friday, as part of a week of mourning and funeral that includes stops in Iranian and Iraqi cities, before his burial in the city of Mashhad in the northeast of the country.

The public funeral ceremony begins on Saturday, with participants gathering from 6 a.m. at the Imam Khomeini Prayer Ground in Tehran to pay their last respects and offer condolences.

Iranian authorities plan to bury Khamenei's body next Thursday, July 9, at the shrine of Imam Reza in the city of Mashhad.

Khamenei, who ruled Iran for about 36 years, was killed in a US-Israeli airstrike targeting him on the first day of the war against Iran, according to international and Iranian media.