Iran Warns US and Israel Against Attacks Ahead of Khamenei Funeral; India's Congress to Send Representative

Iran has publicly warned the United States and Israel to refrain from launching any attacks as the country prepares for funeral processions marking the death of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, one of the most consequential political and religious figures in the Islamic world. The warning, reported by Reuters, underscores the extreme tension gripping the region at a moment of profound political transition in Tehran.

The funeral is drawing significant international attention. Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has confirmed he will attend, reflecting Islamabad's close ties with Tehran. In India, Congress leader Salman Khurshid confirmed that he will represent the party at the funeral following a formal invitation from Iran — a move that signals the opposition party's intent to maintain its own diplomatic channels with a country of considerable importance to India.

Iran's warning to Washington and Tel Aviv reflects deep-seated fears within the Iranian leadership that adversaries could exploit the moment of internal vulnerability and transition to launch a strike. Iran's nuclear programme and its network of regional proxies remain major flashpoints with both countries.

For India, which has worked hard to maintain working relationships with Iran, Israel, and the United States simultaneously, the moment is diplomatically delicate. India depends on Iran for energy access and the Chabahar port route to Afghanistan and Central Asia, while its ties with Israel and the US are of growing strategic importance. How New Delhi navigates the competing pressures of this moment will be watched closely.