Iran’s Tasnim news agency has claimed that a total of 13 countries have withdrawn or reduced their participation in the funeral ceremony of Iran’s former supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in Tehran due to diplomatic pressure from the US.
According to Tasnim news agency, the source claimed that ahead of the ceremony, Washington had launched an extensive diplomatic campaign over the past few days aimed at discouraging foreign participation. The event was attended by delegations from several countries at the Imam Khomeini Grand Mosque in central Tehran.
America had given confidential instructions
Tasnim said that US Secretary of State Marco Rubio had issued confidential instructions to US embassies and diplomatic missions on June 26. In these, he was instructed to use all available means to convince the host countries that participation in the ceremony would be viewed as an “anti-friendly act”, with potential consequences for bilateral relations with Washington.
The source also told Tasnim that US ambassadors to several African countries had warned that involvement could lead to cuts in US development assistance. Additionally, based on statements from two unnamed Arab diplomats, it was also reported that Rubio had personally discussed the matter with his counterparts in at least five Arab countries.
Tried to send lower level representation
Citing assessments, the report said at least 13 countries, including three Eastern European countries, five African countries, two Persian Gulf Arab countries and two major East Asian countries, either withdrew or reduced their level of representation at the ceremony under US pressure.
Some countries reportedly attempted to justify their absence through diplomatic channels or provided explanations through their missions and mediators in Geneva and New York, while others tried to send low-level representations, which Iranian officials did not accept, Tasnim reported.