Russia's Security Council Deputy Chairman Dmitry Medvedev arrived in Tehran on Friday to attend the farewell ceremony for the late Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, according to a single report. The visit follows the Iranian embassy's earlier confirmation that Medvedev would represent President Putin at the funeral.
Russia's Security Council Deputy Chairman Dmitry Medvedev arrived in Tehran at around 16:06 Jerusalem time on Friday, according to a single report, to join the four-day farewell ceremony for the late Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. The arrival comes on the first day of the grand ceremony, which began earlier Friday as The Zioneer reported at 14:09 Jerusalem, and places Medvedev among delegations from over 100 countries at the Mosalla complex.
The Zioneer has tracked Russia's representation at the funeral since earlier this week. On Wednesday at 08:08 Jerusalem, the desk first reported that Medvedev would travel to Tehran as President Vladimir Putin's special envoy, initially citing an Israeli intelligence channel. That same day, at 08:08 Jerusalem, the Iranian embassy in Moscow officially confirmed the appointment, upgrading the sourcing from a single intelligence report to an on-record diplomatic statement. The confirmation aligned with a broader report on Wednesday, which noted that Iran had allocated tens of tons of food for the mass funeral and that Medvedev would attend as Putin's envoy.
As The Zioneer reported on Friday at 14:09 Jerusalem, the grand farewell ceremony features regional leaders from Central Asia and the Caucasus, as well as Hezbollah and PFLP representatives — a sign of the diverse international attendance. A separate Background item, published on Wednesday at 23:37 Jerusalem, listed Russian, Pakistani, and Turkish envoys among those expected. Medvedev's presence as a former Russian president underscores Moscow's diplomatic engagement during Iran's leadership transition.
The single report of Medvedev's arrival remains unverified by additional sources, and neither Russian nor Iranian state media has officially confirmed it as of Friday afternoon. Whether he will address the ceremony or hold bilateral meetings in Tehran is also not yet known.
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