Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi held separate meetings with foreign leaders and delegations in Tehran on Friday on the sidelines of funeral ceremonies for slain former Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, according to separate statements from Iran's presidency, Foreign Ministry and parliament speaker's office.
Pezeshkian met with Russian Security Council Deputy Chairman Dmitry Medvedev, who visited Tehran as a special envoy of President Vladimir Putin, and thanked Moscow for its condolences and support, according to the Iranian presidency.
During the meeting, Pezeshkian called for accelerating the implementation of Iran-Russia agreements and expanding cooperation in the economy, trade, energy and transit, particularly through the International North-South Transport Corridor.
Medvedev conveyed Putin's condolences and condemned the recent US-Israeli attacks on Iran, describing them as violations of international law and the UN Charter. He said Moscow remains committed to implementing the comprehensive strategic partnership treaty with Tehran.
Pezeshkian also held separate meetings with delegations from China, Namibia and Afghanistan, thanking them for condemning the recent attacks on Iran and stressing Tehran's readiness to expand cooperation in political, economic, trade, cultural, scientific and technological fields.
In a meeting with Turkmenistan's national leader Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow, Pezeshkian praised Ashgabat's support and called for faster implementation of agreements in energy, transport, transit, trade and investment.
Berdimuhamedow said Turkmenistan would continue standing by Iran and supporting regional cooperation.
The Iranian president also met Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, with both sides emphasizing historic ties and the need to protect bilateral relations from outside interference. Pashinyan said Armenia would not participate in any project or action targeting Iran's interests or security.
In talks with Iraqi President Nizar Amidi, Pezeshkian called Iraq a "brotherly" country and urged Islamic countries to strengthen unity against regional instability. Amidi said Iraq condemned the attacks on Iran and considered the Iranian people's grief as its own.
Pezeshkian also met Tajik President Emomali Rahmon, Georgian President Mikheil Kavelashvili and Kurdistan Regional Government President Nechirvan Barzani. The meetings focused on condolences, regional stability and expanding bilateral cooperation.
Barzani told Pezeshkian that the Kurdistan Region had not allowed its territory to be used against Iran during the recent war, while the two sides also discussed security cooperation and preventing third-party efforts to destabilize border areas.
Qalibaf, meanwhile, met Kyrgyz Parliament Speaker Marlyn Mamataliyev and Uzbek Parliament Speaker Nuriddin Ismoilov.
In his meeting with Mamataliyev, Qalibaf said Iran sees room for expanding cooperation with Kyrgyzstan in the economy, transit, infrastructure and mining. He also said the Iran-US memorandum ending the war could create new opportunities for economic cooperation with friendly countries.
During talks with Ismoilov, Qalibaf called for accelerating economic and transit cooperation with Uzbekistan, including transport links and rail connectivity.
Araghchi also held several meetings with foreign officials, including Pakistani Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir, Kazakh Foreign Minister Yermek Kosherbayev, Namibian Presidential Affairs Minister Charles Mubita, Nechirvan Barzani and Shanghai Cooperation Organization Secretary-General Nurlan Yermekbayev.
In his meeting with Kosherbayev, Araghchi emphasized Iran's interest in expanding relations with the Caspian Sea littoral states, including Kazakhstan.
During talks with Barzani, the two sides discussed strengthening cooperation between Iran and the Kurdistan Region, including under the Iran-Iraq security memorandum, to protect border security and prevent third parties from destabilizing the region.
Araghchi also met the SCO secretary-general, who reiterated the organization's emphasis on respect for sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity and opposition to the use or threat of force.
According to the official funeral schedule, memorial ceremonies will continue in Tehran on Friday and throughout the weekend with the participation of heads of state, senior officials and religious figures.
Public farewell ceremonies are scheduled for July 4 and July 5, followed by the main funeral procession in Tehran on July 6.
The funeral rites will then move to Qom on July 7.
On July 8, ceremonies are scheduled in Iraq, including in Baghdad, Najaf and Karbala, where the body will be received by religious and political figures before being transferred to major Shia shrines.
The final funeral and burial ceremony is scheduled for July 9 at the Imam Reza Shrine in the northeastern city of Mashhad, one of Shia Islam's holiest sites.
