Tensions Ease as Saudi Arabia and Qatar Send Delegations to Khamenei's Funeral in Iran

Iran officially began the funeral procession for former Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in Tehran on Saturday morning local time. The body of the figure who served as the symbol of the Islamic Republic for 37 years will lie in repose day and night until Monday within the Grand Mosalla complex. Members of the public were given the opportunity to pay their final respects during a ‘farewell ceremony’ scheduled for Saturday and Sunday in Tehran, with riot police guarding the area. Qatar and Saudi Arabia sent official delegations to pay their last respects to Khamenei, despite relations with Iran having heated up after Tehran repeatedly launched retaliatory strikes on United States facilities located in the two countries. Tehran also launched counter-attacks that hit vital energy facilities in Gulf states, sparking Arab concerns over Iranian hegemony in the region and attempts to disrupt global energy distribution routes. The Speaker of the Shura Council of Qatar represented Doha in Tehran, while Saudi Arabia sent a six-member delegation led by Deputy Foreign Minister Waleed El Khereiji. Other prominent figures attending included Georgian President Mikheil Kavelashvili, Iraqi President Nizar Amidi, and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. Also present were Russian Deputy Security Council Chairman Dmitry Medvedev, Vice Chairman of the Chinese People’s National Committee He Wei, and ministerial delegates from Malaysia, Nicaragua, Cuba, and Kazakhstan. Representatives of the Taliban, Houthis, and Hamas also attended. Indonesia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that the government had been invited to the funeral proceedings and expressed appreciation for the invitation. The government appointed Indonesian Ambassador to Tehran Rolliansyah Soemirat as its representative.