Live updates: Iran gears up for huge farewell to slain supreme leader

Officials of varying seniority from China, India and Pakistan are among the foreign dignitaries attending Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s funeral this week.

Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, whose country has emerged as a key mediator between the Iran and US, will travel to Iran in the coming days to “offer condolences” over Khamenei’s death, the country’s foreign ministry spokesman said Thursday.

Senior Chinese parliamentary official He Wei – who is the vice chairman of China’s top lawmaking body, the Standing Committee of the National’s People Congress, will represent Beijing at the funeral, China’s foreign ministry said.

Meanwhile, India’s deputy foreign minister Shri Pabitra and the state governor of Bihar, Syed Ata Hasnain, will attend the funeral, according to the Indian foreign ministry.

Khamenei’s long-delayed funeral represents an opportunity for the Iranian regime to emphasize its diplomatic ties with other countries as well as to project a sense of stability and unity within its borders.

Foreign ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said that Iran expected “guests from around 100 countries, including heads of government, parliamentary speakers, foreign ministers, special government envoys, other political figures and numerous public delegations.”

But aside from Sharif and Georgia’s President Mikheil Kavelashvili, who semi-official news agency Tasnim said is attending, few foreign leaders will make an appearance. Most countries present, like India and China, are sending senior officials instead.

Two senior Taliban officials – Afghanistan’s deputy prime minister and acting foreign minister – will also be in Iran for the funeral.