Bangladesh stands with Iran during mourning: Speaker

Speaker Hafiz Uddin Ahmad on Friday expressed Bangladesh’s solidarity with Iran during its period of national mourning, conveying profound condolences over the death of former Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and condemning his killing.

The Speaker conveyed the support and sympathy of the government and the people of Bangladesh during a meeting with Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, Speaker of the Islamic Consultative Assembly of Iran, in Tehran, according to a statement issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The meeting took place on the sidelines of the state funeral ceremonies for the late Iranian leader, where Hafiz Uddin is leading the Bangladesh delegation.

Speaker Ghalibaf welcomed Hafiz Uddin and the Bangladesh delegation and thanked Bangladesh for joining the funeral ceremonies. He also highlighted the centuries-old friendship between the two countries and the deep cultural and people-to-people ties that have strengthened bilateral relations over the years.

During the meeting, Hafiz Uddin expressed heartfelt condolences to the government and people of Iran over Khamenei’s death and reaffirmed Bangladesh’s support for peace, stability and dialogue in the region.

He also appreciated Ghalibaf’s role in facilitating the recently signed peace Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Iran and the United States and expressed hope that the agreement would pave the way for lasting peace, stability and prosperity in Iran and across the wider region.

The Speaker reiterated Bangladesh’s support for ongoing diplomatic efforts and expressed hope that all parties would continue constructive dialogue to resolve outstanding issues peacefully.

Hafiz Uddin also invited Speaker Ghalibaf to pay an official visit to Bangladesh at a mutually convenient time to further strengthen parliamentary cooperation and bilateral relations.

The Bangladesh Speaker arrived in Tehran on Thursday to attend the state funeral of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Upon his arrival, he and the delegation were received at the airport by Hamid Reza Haji Babaei, Deputy Speaker of the Islamic Consultative Assembly of Iran.