Iran has invited BJP president Nitin Nabin and Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge to attend the funeral of late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, HT has learnt. The last rites of Khamenei, who was killed in US-Israel strikes on February 28, will be held next week.Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge (L) and BJP chief Nitin Nabin (R) have been invited to attend slain Iran leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's funeral.Minister of state for external affairs Pabitra Margherita and the Bihar governor Lt Gen (retired) Syed Ata Hasnain are also expected to represent India at Khamenei's funeral programme, HT reported earlier.Margherita and Hasnain, one of the few members of the Shia community to currently hold a constitutional position, are expected to participate in the event to be held in Tehran on July 4 on behalf of the Indian government, sources told HT. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had last week received inviation for the funeral programme by Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian. While an official announcement on the level of participation is yet to be made by the Indian side, it was considered unlikely that the PM would take part in the event.Khamenei's funeral After changing the last rites date multiple times since Khamenei's death, the Iranian authorities in June announced details for Khamenei's burial and funeral ceremony. He will be buried at the shrine of Imam Reza on July 9, following funeral ceremonies in Tehran, Qom and Mashhad on July 6, 7 and 9, respectively, Iran state media said reported.The last rites of Iran's leader, who led the country from 1989 to 2026, have been planned during Muharram, a traditional period of mourning in the Shiite Muslim calendar. His funeral was initially planned for March 4, but postponed due to the Iran-US war that began with US-Israel strikes on Iran on February 28.