Delegations from Central Asian countries participate in the mourning activities for Iran's late Supreme Leader

Delegations from Central Asian nations have arrived in Iran to attend the funeral of Iran's Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei. Khamenei was killed in an airstrike on February 28 — the first day of the U.S.-Israel air strikes against Iran. This move reflects that despite Central Asian countries' ongoing efforts to strengthen economic and diplomatic ties with the United States, they also aim to maintain and expand their long-standing friendly relations with Iran.

According to the Tajikistan presidential office, President Emomali Rahmon expressed condolences and wished for peace during a meeting Friday in Tehran with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian.

The Tajik statement noted: "Over the past five years, bilateral trade between the two countries has increased eightfold, reaching nearly $500 million in 2025. The statement further emphasized that all necessary conditions are currently in place to potentially raise this figure to $1 billion in the near future."

Former Turkmenistan President Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov — who is currently co-ruling with his successor and son, Serdar — also arrived in Tehran on Friday. According to Iran’s official news agency IRNA, during the meeting, Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf told him that Iran hopes to strengthen its ties with Turkmenistan.

IRNA reported that Berdymukhamedov advocated for expanding trade between the two nations and stated, "I believe Iran will achieve favorable outcomes in future negotiations with the United States."

Other Central Asian delegation leaders attending the funeral ceremony in Tehran include Kazakhstan Foreign Minister Yermek Kosherbayev, Uzbekistan Parliament Speaker Nuriddin Ismailov, and Kyrgyzstan’s legislative assembly head Marlen Mamataliev.

Currently, Iran and the United States are maintaining a fragile ceasefire, while negotiations continue toward a lasting solution to the conflict, which has had significant impacts on the global economy. Delegations from dozens of countries have gathered in Iran for the funeral, with related mourning activities expected to last several days. For Iran’s leadership, this commemoration also presents an opportunity to demonstrate its international standing — following the deaths of several key Iranian figures in the joint U.S.-Israeli strike.

Khamenei’s position has been assumed by his son, Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei. Reports indicate that Khamenei’s son was injured in the attack that killed his father and has remained absent from public view since the outbreak of the conflict. Although Iran has acknowledged his injury, the specific details of his condition have not yet been confirmed.

Source: Central Asia Times

Original article: toutiao.com/article/1869764265957386/

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