Speaker pays tribute to Khamenei on behalf of Bangladesh

Speaker of the National Parliament Hafiz Uddin Ahmed, Bir Bikram, paid tribute on behalf of Bangladesh at the state farewell ceremony for Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed in a US attack.

At the solemn ceremony held at Tehran's Grand Mosalla, the speaker offered prayers for the departed soul and met with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and other senior leaders, conveying condolences and sympathy from the Bangladesh government and people on behalf of the bereaved Iranian nation. The speaker also signed the condolence book placed there.

Earlier, the speaker held a bilateral meeting with Iranian Islamic Consultative Assembly Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf.

Speaker Hafiz Uddin Ahmed arrived in Tehran on Friday, July 3, to attend the state mourning ceremony. He was warmly received at the airport by Iranian Deputy Speaker Hamid Reza Haji Babaei.

During the meeting, the speaker condemned the brutal killing of the Iranian supreme leader and reaffirmed the century-old friendship and deep cultural and diplomatic ties between Iran and Bangladesh.

The speaker highly praised Ghalibaf's constructive role in implementing the peace memorandum signed between Iran and the United States. He expressed hope that the agreement would bring lasting peace, stability and prosperity to Iran and the entire region.

He also formally invited Iranian Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf to visit Bangladesh at a convenient time to maintain the bilateral relationship.

Later, Speaker Hafiz Uddin Ahmed met with Iranian Sports Minister Ahmad Dunyamali, who sought Bangladesh's cooperation in developing cricket in Iran and expressed interest in signing a memorandum of understanding to expand sports cooperation between the two countries.

The speaker also gave an interview to Iran Radio's Bengali section, where he shared his views on bilateral and regional issues and said he would request the concerned ministry to enhance embassy services for Bangladeshi expatriates living in Iran.