Speaker Hafez Uddin Ahmed Attends Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's State Funeral in Tehran

Speaker of the National Parliament Hafez Uddin Ahmed, Bir Bikram, paid tribute on behalf of Bangladesh at the state funeral of Iran's assassinated Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in Tehran.

During the solemn ceremony held at the Grand Mosalla in Tehran, the Speaker offered prayers for the departed soul of Ali Khamenei. He met with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and other high-ranking officials to express deep condolences and solidarity on behalf of the government and people of Bangladesh to the bereaved Iranian nation. Later, Speaker Hafez Uddin Ahmed signed the official condolence book.

Earlier, the Speaker held a bilateral meeting with the Speaker of the Islamic Consultative Assembly of Iran, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf. Speaker Hafez Uddin Ahmed had arrived in Tehran on Friday (July 3) to attend the state funeral, where he was warmly received at the airport by Iranian Deputy Speaker Hamid Reza Haji Babai.

During his meeting with Ghalibaf, Speaker Hafez Uddin Ahmed strongly condemned the brutal assassination of Iran's Supreme Leader and reaffirmed the century-old friendship, deep cultural ties, and diplomatic relations between Bangladesh and Iran.

The Speaker highly praised Ghalibaf’s constructive role in implementing the recently signed peace memorandum of understanding (MoU) between Iran and the United States. He expressed optimism that the agreement would bring lasting peace, stability, and prosperity to Iran and the wider region, adding that Bangladesh will continue to support this peace process through dialogue and diplomacy.

To maintain the momentum of bilateral relations, the Speaker extended a formal invitation to Iranian Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf to visit Bangladesh at a convenient time.

Later, Speaker Hafez Uddin Ahmed held a meeting with Iranian Sports Minister Ahmad Dunyamali, during which the Iranian minister sought Bangladesh's assistance in developing cricket in Iran. The Iranian Sports Minister also expressed interest in signing an MoU to expand sports cooperation between the two nations. The Speaker assured him that this message would be conveyed to Bangladesh's Minister of State for Youth and Sports.

The Speaker also gave an interview to the Bengali department of Iran Radio, discussing various bilateral and regional issues. He noted that he would request the relevant ministry of the Bangladesh government to enhance embassy services for Bangladeshi expatriates living in Iran.