Iran’s government news agency Tasnim has claimed that due to US pressure, 13 countries did not participate in the funeral ceremony of former Supreme Leader of Iran Ayatollah Ali Khamenei or reduced the level of their delegation. According to the report, before the last journey, America contacted other countries for several days and appealed to them not to attend the ceremony. The event was organized at the Imam Khomeini Grand Mosque in the center of Tehran, where delegations from many countries had arrived.
According to Tasnim, on June 26, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio sent confidential instructions to US embassies and diplomatic missions around the world. In these instructions, it was said that they should explain to the countries where they are posted that if they join this last journey, America will consider it as a non-friendly step. This may affect their relations with America.
threatened to reduce aid
The report also claims that US ambassadors in many African countries warned that if their leaders or officials attended the event, America could reduce the development aid provided to them. Apart from this, according to the source, Marco Rubio also spoke directly to the foreign ministers of at least five Arab countries on this issue. This information has been given by quoting two unidentified Arab diplomats.
Tasneem says that after American pressure, 13 countries canceled their participation or reduced the level of their delegation. These include three countries of Eastern Europe, five countries of Africa, two Arab countries of the Persian Gulf and two big countries of East Asia. However, the names of these countries have not been mentioned in the report.
Some countries, through diplomatic channels, explained the reason for their absence to Iran. Some sent messages through their missions in Geneva and New York. Some countries tried to send low-level representatives in place of senior leaders, but Iranian officials did not accept it.
Last prayers were offered on Sunday
Public funeral prayers were held for Ali Khamenei and four members of his family in Tehran on Sunday. On the second day of the last farewell procession, lakhs of people gathered around Imam Khomeini Grand Mosque. His mortal remains have been kept there for the last darshan since Saturday.
After Khamenei’s death, his son Mujtaba Khamenei was made the new Supreme Leader of Iran. According to the report of Al Jazeera, due to security reasons due to continuous assassination threats from Israel, Mujtaba Khamenei will not attend the six-day long farewell programs of his father.
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