Maldivian gov't finally admits it did not participate in Khamenei's funeral
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has clarified that the Maldives' absence from the funeral of Iran's former supreme leader was due to a sudden change in protocol. According to the government, after Iran notified that representation at the ambassadorial level would not be accepted, efforts were made to dispatch a Minister of State; however, these arrangements could not be finalized in time due to flight scheduling constraints.
President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu: The President's Chief Spokesperson, Mohamed Hussain Shareef previously stated that the Maldives would be represented at Khamenei's funeral by an ambassador stationed in the Gulf region; however, he declined to provide further details. | Presidents Office
The government has finally confirmed that no official representative from the Maldives attended the funeral of the late Iranian Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
In a press release issued Wednesday night, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that the Maldivian government representative was unable to attend the funeral of Khamenei due to a sudden change in protocol.
However, as rumors circulated regarding the Maldives' absence from Khamenei's funeral, the government initially attempted to keep the details of its representation confidential. In response to an inquiry from RaajjeTV, the government's chief spokesperson, Mohamed Hussain Shareef (Mundhu), stated that the Maldives would be represented at the funeral by an ambassador stationed in the Gulf region. However, Shareef declined to disclose the specific identity of the ambassador at that time. Furthermore, when the Ministry of Foreign Affairs was contacted for clarification, its information officer directed the press to submit a formal Right to Information (RTI) request to obtain the details.
According to a statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Maldives received an invitation to attend the official funeral of Khamenei, held on Friday, July 3. In response, the Iranian government was officially notified that the Maldives would be represented at the ceremony by Ahmed Sareer, the Maldivian Ambassador to Saudi Arabia and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC).
However, shortly before the Ambassador’s scheduled departure, the Iranian Embassy advised that protocol requirements precluded participation at the ambassadorial level. The Ministry further noted that while efforts were subsequently made to dispatch a state minister, flight schedules made it impossible to reach Iran before the conclusion of the funeral rites.
Khamenei passed away on February 28 following an attack on his official residence carried out by the United States and Israel. While representatives from more than 100 countries attended the funeral, the policies adopted by President Muizzu’s administration regarding the matter have drawn widespread public criticism. The government is facing significant backlash, particularly for failing to issue a formal statement of condolence, a standard protocol in the Maldives following the death of a leader of an Islamic nation.
