‘Immense honour, once-in-a-lifetime opportunity’
Srinagar: Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti is set to travel to Iran to pay final tributes to the country’s slain supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei after receiving an official invitation to attend his funeral.
Mohseen Qummi, Director of the International Relations Department at the office of the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran, has extended a formal invitation to Mehbooba to attend the solemn funeral ceremony as a distinguished guest of India.
“It is an immense honour for me and a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to receive this invitation (from Iran). I will travel there to pay my last respects to the supreme leader,” the PDP chief told PTI.
In the invitation letter, it was stated that Grand Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei was killed on February 28, and in accordance with the national period of mourning and the protocols of the Islamic Republic, a state funeral ceremony would be held in Tehran from July 3 to 6.
“In light of the profound historical and strategic ties that bind the Islamic Republic of Iran and the Republic of India, I consider it a great honour to invite your excellency, as a distinguished guest of the Indian nation, to attend this solemn ceremony.
“Your presence would serve as a testament to the deep-rooted friendship and mutual respect between our two great ancient civilizations,” reads the letter addressed to Mehbooba.
According to the programme, the farewell to the leader will be held at Imam Khomeini Grand Mosalla Complex in Tehran on July 3, with commemoration the next day and funeral procession on July 6.
PTI