Iran-backed Hezbollah and Hamas attend Khamenei funeral ceremonies

Senior representatives from Hezbollah and Hamas, key players in Iran's "axis of resistance," attended funeral ceremonies for Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in Tehran on Saturday, July 4. The presence of these figures underscores Iran's long-standing support for regional militant groups designated as terrorist organizations by the United States and other Western nations.

Envoys from the Lebanese Hezbollah and Palestinian Hamas met with Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi. The Hezbollah delegation was led by senior official Mohammed Fneish, while Hamas's political bureau chief Mohammed Darwish headed their contingent. Both groups included officials and families of members killed or wounded in recent conflicts.

Iran has consistently provided support to Hezbollah, Hamas, and Yemen's Houthi rebels as part of its strategy to counter Israeli and U.S. influence in the region. This network of allies is referred to by Tehran as the "axis of resistance."

Also present at the ceremonies were Ziyad al-Nakhalah, leader of Palestinian Islamic Jihad, and Houthi official Dhaif Allah al-Shami. Khamenei, who led Iran from 1989 until his death on February 28 in a U.S.-Israeli strike, was mourned by crowds at the Imam Khomeini Grand Mosalla. The strike also claimed the lives of several family members and top officials.

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Representatives of Tehran-backed militant groups attended the funeral ceremonies of slain Iranian supreme leader Ali Khamenei on Saturday (Jul 4), with envoys from Hezbollah and Hamas meeting with Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, state media reported.