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Speaker of the Bangladesh Jatiya Sangsad Hafiz Uddin Ahmad, Bir Bikram, paid tribute on behalf of Bangladesh at the state funeral of Iran’s late Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, in Tehran, reaffirming Dhaka’s solidarity with the Iranian people during the period of national mourning.
At the state funeral held at Tehran’s Grand Mosalla, the Speaker offered prayers for the departed leader and conveyed condolences to the government and people of Iran on behalf of Bangladesh. He also met Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and other senior officials and signed the official condolence book.
Hafiz Uddin Ahmad arrived in Tehran on Friday to attend the funeral ceremonies and was received at the airport by Iranian Deputy Speaker Hamid Reza Haji Babaei.
During his visit, the Bangladesh Speaker held bilateral talks with Speaker of Iran’s Islamic Consultative Assembly, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf. The two leaders discussed issues of mutual interest, including parliamentary cooperation, bilateral relations and regional developments.
According to a press release issued by the Jatiya Sangsad Secretariat, Hafiz Uddin Ahmad strongly condemned the killing of Iran’s Supreme Leader and reaffirmed the longstanding friendship, cultural bonds and diplomatic relations between Bangladesh and Iran.
He also appreciated the constructive role played by Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf in advancing the recently signed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Iran and the United States, which aims to promote peace and stability.
Expressing hope that the agreement would contribute to lasting peace, security and prosperity in Iran and the wider region, the Speaker reiterated Bangladesh’s support for resolving disputes through dialogue, diplomacy and peaceful negotiations.
The Bangladesh Speaker extended a formal invitation to his Iranian counterpart to visit Bangladesh at a mutually convenient time, expressing confidence that such a visit would further strengthen parliamentary exchanges and deepen bilateral cooperation.
Later, Hafiz Uddin Ahmad met Iran’s Minister of Sports, Ahmad Donyamali. During the meeting, the Iranian minister sought Bangladesh’s support in promoting cricket in Iran and expressed interest in signing a Memorandum of Understanding on sports cooperation between the two countries.
Responding positively, the Speaker said he would convey the proposal to Bangladesh’s State Minister for Youth and Sports for consideration.
As part of his visit, the Speaker also gave an interview to the Bangla Service of Radio Iran, where he discussed Bangladesh-Iran relations, regional issues and prospects for enhanced cooperation. He said he would request the relevant authorities in Bangladesh to strengthen consular and other services for Bangladeshi expatriates living in Iran.
The visit reflects the continued engagement between Bangladesh and Iran and underscores both countries’ interest in expanding cooperation in parliamentary affairs, sports, people-to-people contacts and other areas of mutual interest.