Bangladesh condemns Khamenei killing

Bangladesh has condemned the killing of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in the joint US-Israeli strikes. Earlier, Bangladesh had expressed grief over his death.

During a meeting with Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf in Tehran on Friday, July 3, Bangladesh Speaker Hafiz Uddin Ahmed said Bangladesh condemns the "brutal murder" of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and expressed deep condolences to the Iranian government and people.

In a statement, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Bangladesh stands with the people of Iran during this time of national mourning. The speaker also highlighted the centuries-old friendship, cultural ties and people-to-people bonds between the two countries.

Speaker Hafiz Uddin Ahmed welcomed the recent memorandum of understanding between Iran and the US and expressed hope that it would help establish lasting peace and stability in West Asia.

He said the solution to disputes is not war, but dialogue, diplomacy and respect for international law.

The speaker had travelled to Tehran on Thursday to lead Bangladesh's delegation at the state funeral. Representatives from an 11-party Islamist alliance, including Jamaat-e-Islami, the National Citizen Party and Bangladesh Khilafat Majlis, also paid their respects at Khamenei's coffin during the same visit.

The Iranian government has arranged a six-day state programme to bid farewell to the late Supreme Leader, with official representatives and high-ranking officials from various countries, including Russia and China, attending. A major mourning procession will be held in Tehran on Monday. Khamenei will then be buried at the Imam Reza Shrine in Mashhad on Thursday, passing through Qom and the Iraqi cities of Najaf and Karbala.