US pressured countries to skip Khamenei funeral, at least 13 withdrew: Reports

The United States reportedly carried out a diplomatic campaign to discourage countries from attending the multi-day funeral ceremony of Iran’s former Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in Tehran, Iranian media reported. Subsequently, at least 13 countries either withdrew or scaled down their participation, it added.According to Iran’s Tasnim news agency, which cited a senior source, Washington mounted a diplomatic campaign in the days leading up to the fineral ceremony to discourage foreign participation. The event, which began at the Imam Khomeini Grand Musalla in central Tehran, is being attended by delegations from several countries.The funeral ceremony began on Saturday and will conclude with Khamenei’s burial in his hometown of Mashhad on July 9.According to the report, US secretary of state Marco Rubio issued confidential instructions to American embassies and diplomatic missions on June 26, directing diplomats to use “all available means” to discourage host countries from attending the funeral ceremony. Participation, the report claimed, would be viewed as an “unfriendly act” that could affect bilateral ties with Washington.The report, citing two unnamed Arab diplomats, alleged that US ambassadors in several African countries warned participation could lead to cuts in American development assistance. It also claimed Rubio personally discussed the matter with counterparts in at least five Arab states.Citing its own assessments, the report stated that at least 13 countries—including three from Eastern Europe, five from Africa, two Persian Gulf Arab states and two major East Asian countries—either withdrew from the ceremony or reduced the level of their representation following US pressure.It further claimed that some countries cited diplomatic reasons for their absence or conveyed explanations through intermediaries and their missions in Geneva and New York, while others sought to send lower-level delegations that were not accepted by Iranian authorities.Meanwhile, public funeral prayers for Ali Khamenei and four members of his family are being held in Tehran on Sunday, the second day of the farewell ceremony.Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was assassinated in US-Israeli strikes on February 28, triggering a broader conflict in West Asia.Last month, the US and Iran agreed to a 14-point memorandum of understanding (MoU) aimed at ending hostilities and opening a 60-day window for technical talks, including discussions on the Strait of Hormuz and Tehran’s nuclear programme.Following Khamenei’s death, his son, Mojtaba Khamenei, was appointed as Iran’s new Supreme Leader.Mojtaba Khamenei is expected to skip the six-day funeral ceremonies for his father due to security concerns amid “continued Israeli assassination threats.”(With ANI inputs)