TEHRAN -- Dignitaries from dozens of countries were here Wednesday to take part in funeral ceremonies held for late President Ebrahim Raisi and his companions.
According official IRNA news agency, nearly 68 senior officials from more than 50 countries and several international organizations attended the ceremony at the Iran International Conference Center in Tehran to pay their respect. 
The delegations included 10 heads of state and 20 ministers as well as parliament speakers and special representatives dispatched by foreign governments to attend the ceremony.  
The Qatari emir, Turkmenistan’s national leader, presidents of Tunisia and Tajikistan and the Iraqi Kurdistan region, prime ministers of Iraq, Armenia, Qatar, Azerbaijan and the Iraqi Kurdistan as well as parliament speakers from Iraq, Russia, Algeria Uzbekistan Kazakhstan and Lebanon were among senior officials representing their countries in the funeral ceremony.
Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei received Iraqi Prime Minister Muhammad Shia’ al-Sudani on the sidelines of the funeral procession.
“What we saw in Mr. Raeisi, the martyred president of Iran, was nothing but honesty, sincerity, purity, work and ... serving the people,” the Iraqi premier said.
“The images I saw on TV today bore clear messages,” Sudani added. “The most important message is the deep, strong relationship between people and authorities in the Islamic Republic despite all the pressure, sanctions and this unfortunate incident.
“Another message of the presence of millions of people in the funeral ceremony is that officials should serve the people and this massive funeral is the result of serving the people and this lesson should be the top-line policy in Iraq as well,” he said.
Ayatollah Khamenei appreciated  Sudani for his visit to Tehran and his expression of sympathy, saying, “We have lost an outstanding figure. President Raisi was a great brother and an efficient, competent, sincere and serious official.”
The Leader said that Iran’s interim president Muhammad Mokhber, who has assumed duties in managing the executive branch, will continue the same path of cooperation and agreements with the Iraqi government.
The Leader of the Islamic Revolution also received the Hamas chief and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan on the sidelines of the ongoing mass funeral.
 In his talks with Pakistan’s prime minister, the Leader said there is an opportunity for a new upgrading of bilateral relations with a new government in office in Pakistan.
“Relations with Pakistan matters significantly to the Islamic Republic of Iran as it is considered a brotherly country,” he said in the meeting. 
Ayatollah Khamenei said that the recent trip by late President Raisi to Pakistan can be a turning point in bilateral relations, adding that interim president Muhammad Mokhber will pursue the path of cooperation and agreements between the two countries.
Meanwhile, Bangladesh joined the countries announcing Thursday as a day of mourning for the Iranian president and his entourage. 
Iraq, Lebanon, Syria, Turkey, Pakistan and India had already announced days of mourning in solidarity with Iran. 
All state and semi-state bodies and educational institutions in Bangladesh as well as the country’s offices abroad will fly the national flag at half mast.