Kashmir Impulse Desk

New Delhi, June 24

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has invited Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to attend the funeral ceremonies of Iran’s late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, diplomatic sources said on Wednesday, in a gesture that underscores Tehran’s efforts to maintain ties with key international partners following a period of heightened regional conflict.

There was no official confirmation from New Delhi on whether Modi would attend the ceremonies, which are scheduled to be held from July 5 to July 9 across the cities of Tehran, Qom, and Mashhad.

Khamenei, Iran’s supreme leader for more than three decades, was killed on February 28 during the opening day of large-scale U.S. and Israeli air strikes on Tehran, an event that dramatically reshaped the geopolitical landscape of West Asia and triggered uncertainty over Iran’s future political leadership.

According to diplomatic sources, Pezeshkian extended the invitation to Modi as part of outreach to leaders of countries with longstanding diplomatic relations with Iran.

The funeral ceremonies are expected to begin in Tehran on July 5 before moving to the religious city of Qom and concluding in Mashhad on July 9.

India has maintained close civilisational and strategic ties with Iran despite growing international tensions, balancing its engagement with Tehran alongside expanding partnerships with the United States, Israel and Gulf Arab countries. The two countries cooperate on regional connectivity projects, including the strategically significant Chabahar Port, while Iran remains an important player in India’s broader West Asia policy.