Key facts
- Iran's Tasnim News Agency reported that at least 13 countries did not attend Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's funeral.
- The agency cited US pressure as the reason for the countries' absence.
- US officials allegedly conducted a five-day campaign to discourage foreign delegations from attending.
- US Secretary of State Marco Rubio reportedly issued a confidential instruction labeling participation as an 'unfriendly act' with negative bilateral consequences.
- Mourners gathered for week-long funeral ceremonies for Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in Tehran.
Iran's Tasnim News Agency reported that at least 13 countries, spanning Eastern Europe, Africa, the Gulf, and East Asia, opted not to attend the funeral ceremony for Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. The agency cited US pressure as the reason for their absence, with some governments reportedly attempting to explain their decision to Tehran through diplomatic channels.
According to an unnamed senior source cited by Tasnim, US officials engaged in a "comprehensive campaign" over the preceding five days to discourage foreign delegations from traveling to Tehran for the commemorations. The report further stated that US Secretary of State Marco Rubio issued a confidential instruction on June 26, directing US embassies and diplomatic missions to inform host governments that participation in the funeral would be considered an "unfriendly act" with potential "negative consequences" for bilateral relations with Washington.
Tasnim also quoted two unnamed Arab diplomats who indicated that Rubio had personally discussed the matter with counterparts from at least five Arab nations. Additionally, US ambassadors in Africa were reported to have warned governments that attending the ceremony could jeopardize their US development assistance.
However, delegations from Iraq, Pakistan, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and Russia, alongside other regional officials, attended the ceremony to pay their respects. Meanwhile, funeral ceremonies for Khamenei began in Tehran with national anthems, eulogies, and readings from the Koran, drawing large crowds of mourners.